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SCENES AND INCIDENTS 



OF 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 



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SCENES AND INCIDENTS 



OF 



tfktrj-gajr fife in Africa 



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BY HARRIETTE G. BEITTAX 



"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.»-AcTS xvi. 31. 

" How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed ? And how shall 
they believe m him of whom they have not heard ? And how shall they hear without 
a preacher? And how .hall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, 
I low beaut.ful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace, and brin^ 
glad tidings of good things ."-Bom. x. 14, 15. S 




ihto-jflrk: e> 

PUDNEY & RUSSELL, PUBLISHERS, 



No. 79 JOHN- STREET 
1360. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, 

By PUDNEY & RUSSELL, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern 

District of New-York. 



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I 



jinstion. 



TO MY BELOVED PASTOR, 

REV. J . A. PAD DOCK. 

It is meet that to one, to whom I owe so much of what I possess of 
spiritual life, the first efforts of my pen for the spread of the Redeemer's 
kingdom should be dedicated. You, dear Sir, know how these scenes 
were first penned, as letters to loved ones at home, and that it was from 
reiterated assurances that they might be useful and interesting to the 
public at large, that they have now been published. This work has 
been entered upon and prosecuted with many doubts and fears. I can 
not expect it to be received by a critical public, as it has been by 
loving friends ; but you are fully aware of the motives that prompted 
this undertaking : an earnest desire to promote the best interests of 
Africa ; to spread the Redeemer's kingdom, and the elevation and re- 
generation of our common humanity. These being the motives, I trust 
there are many who will forgive the lack of skill, or other deficiencies 
in the work — looking upon it, not with a critic's, but a Christian's eye, 
believing, as I know you will, " she hath done what she could." 



Harriett G. Brittan. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

AT SEA. 

Page 
Parting — Slave Trade — Sunset — Storm — Friendless — Escape — Com- 

posant — Salute — Kroomen i 13 

CHAPTER II. 

MONROVIA. 

Kroomen — Mr. Wilson — Landing — Kroo Philosophy — Schools— 

The Drivers — Miss Killpatric — Sail again 24 

CHAPTER III. 

CAPE PALM AS. 

Church — The Asylum — Our Pets — Sunday — Hoffman Station — 

Daily Life 37 

CHAPTER IY. 

CAVALLA. 

Lepers — Cavalla Examination — The Feast — Boys' Examination. . . 53 

CHAPTER V. 

RETURN HOME. 

Baptism — Mr. Wilson's Arrival — Asylum Examination — -The 

Bishop Arrives — Christmas Eve — Christmas Day — Escape. ... 60 



IV CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VI. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY. 

Page. 
Work— Native Class— Old M'Lede— Father Scotland— New Year's 

Eve— New-Year's Day —Fever— The Will , 68 

CHAPTER VII. 

SCHOOL. 

Saturday — The Vincennes — "Witchcraft — The Dinner Table — Cor- 
rection — Liberian Uniform — The Children — Communion Sun- 
day — Our Household — Food — Auntie Dade — Ocean Eagle — 
News from Cavalla 80 

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE WEDDING. 

The Eagle Sails — The Lake — Cavalla — Daily Fare — Baptism — Little 

Thomas— The Hospital 100 

CHAPTER IX. 

TEST, 

Love Feast— The Horse— Wah— The Boat— The Snake— Saturday 
Interruptions — Grawah — Insects — Saturday Evening — Sunday 
— Wah — Sacerdillo — Convocation — Good Friday — Change — 
Easter Sunday —Travelling— Want— The Well— Visitors 112 

CHAPTER X. 

DADE. 

Witchcraft— Saturday Afternoon— Wounds— Sickness— Moonlight 
— Prayer — Lowliness — The Bodia — Cannibals — Atonement — 
Self-denial— The Well— Begging— Daily Duties— Surgery- 
Heroism — Sassa-wood— Surgery— Sick Man— Cannibalism— 
French Emigrant Vessel — Cruelty — Cold _- 136 



1 



CONTENTS. V 

CHAPTER XL 

SASSA ORDEAL. 

Page. 
Valentine — Wounds — Thomas — The Bishop's Arrival — Communion 
— Life — Rum— Missionary Meeting — Salt— Joy — More Joy — 
Work — Illness — The Examination and Wedding— Birth-day — 
Baptism — Sassa — The Invitations — Doda-lu — Centipede — Sad 
JS"ews — The Kwi — Time — The Funeral — Ignorance — The Ac- 
cepted Invitation — Consumption , 1C3 

CHAPTER XII. 

ULCERS. 

Climate — Company — Strange Ideas — Singing — Beauty — Sassa 
Triumph — Fish — Fever — Harry Bacon— Text— Cape Palmas — 
New Friends — Carriage — On Board — Travelling — King Weir — 
Lucie — Reveries — Stores from Home — Transmigration — Ru- 
mors — Music — A Pleasant Day — Dauba 194 

CHAPTER XIII. 

ENTHUSIASM. 

Letters— Josephine — The Garden Graves — The Missionary Box — 
The Girls' School — Patience— Superstition — Cape Palmas — 
Mount Yaughan — Home — Cruelty — Crazy Man — Xye— 
Beauty — Marriage — Amusements — Sickness — The Earth- 
quake — The Comet — Generosity — Strange Vessel — Music — 
Cares — Superstition — The Army — Letters — Fish — Faith — The 
Sabbath Law — Letters — Harriett — Penalty — Justice — Legends 
—The Mermaid— The Witch— Church— Sickness 226 

CHAPTER XIY. 

MONROVIA. 

Visitors — Sunday School Celebration — Patience — Speeches — Uncle 
Simon — Company— Sunday — St. Paul's River — Drivers — A 
Curiosity — Poverty — The Mite — The Creek — Leopard — 
Travel — Feasts — Pleasure — Monrovia — The Stevens — Christ- 
mas Day— Sunday — The Congoes — The Gospel — Sickness — 
Friends— The Ship— Bassa Sinoe 282 



VI CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XV. 

HOME. 

Page. 
Mrs. Gillet — Ordination — The Magic Lantern — Illness — Funeral — 
Departure — Passengers — Sierra Leone — The Gambia — The 
Juju — Cruelties — Drunkenness — Teneriffe — Madeira 332 






INCIDENTS AND SCENES 

OF 

EYERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 



AT SEA. 

Parting. — How many scenes of ship life have been 
given again and again to the public eye ; in all there is 
much that is similar, and yet how varied ! The vessel 
seems like a little world of itself — far away from all 
others ; yet the hopes and fears, the joys and loves, of so 
many centre in her. Following our little bark, we knew 
were the thoughts and prayers of many, oh ! how many, 
of God's dear children. We w T ere a little band of eight 
missionaries, from three different branches of the Church 
on earth, but belonging, as we all hoped, to the one great 
spiritual Church of the Redeemer. And what confi- 
dence it gave us to feel that prayers for us were being 
wafted on every gale. I pass over the scene of our part- 
ing ; none but those who have felt it can understand the 
missionary's farewell to his loved ones — the mingling of 
joy and sorrow ; it is a strangely sad, yet blissful part- 



ing. 



14 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Slave Trade. — We have morning and evening worship 
in our little cabin. Unless obliged to be on deck, all the 
ship's company attend, except the man at the helm. I 
hope our presence may be a blessing to them ; and while 
thinking of the poor heathen at a distance, may we not 
forget those around us. The mate brought us a flying- fish 
this morning, which had been killed by striking against 
the man at the helm. It is a beautiful little creature, of 
a deep bright blue. Its wings are very delicate, and per- 
fectly transparent. Our mate was telling us an adven- 
ture of his early life — a sad one. He shipped on board a 
vessel bound for the African coast, ostensibly to obtain a 
cargo of camwood ; but it, in reality, was a slave ship. 
He and some of the other sailors had no idea what the 
vessel was till they reached the slave coast, or what was 
the species of labor they wqjild be required to perform. 
The horrors of the fearful trade are too well known 
for me to recapitulate them here. He, poor fellow, 
could not get inured to them, and he loathed himself for 
the very acts he was compelled to perform. At length 
they had succeeded in obtaining two hundred and eighty, 
about one third of their cargo, when a British cruiser 
hove in sight. 

" The poor negroes," said he, " were stowed away, 
like cattle in pens, under the deck ; and to hear, their 
groans, moans, and yells, was perfectly dreadful." The. 
slaver w T as chased by the cruiser for five days, and then, 
finding escape impossible, the captain ran her upon the 
rocks, and, taking to the small boats, he and the crew 
escaped to the shore. Whether the poor captives were 
rescued by the British, or most miserably perished, he 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 15 

never knew. The crew, to avoid detection by the na- 
tives, sought singly for safety. He wandered down the 
coast for four hundred miles, feeding on berries and roots, 
till he came to a Portuguese seaport, where he obtained 
a homeward passage. "Whether any of his comrades es- 
caped, he never knew. So sometimes even in this world, 
Grod permits the " wicked to be snared in his own net." 
This poor man said he believed if he should ever be en- 
trapped in such an undertaking again, he would throw 
himself overboard. 

Sunset. — This evening, what a magnificent sunset we 
have had ! It puts all my powers of description at de- 
fiance. Two of us were sitting together on the deck, and 
we called to mind that it was the hour of our little prayer- 
meeting at home. We sang together, and then engaged 
in silent prayer for a few moments — remembering u that 
prayer is a great triangle, the base connecting distant 
friends on earth, the apex being formed by our Father's 
throne." We then sat and watched that splendid scene, 
exclaiming — 

" Loose all your bars of massy light, 
And wide unfold the ethereal scene."' 

And, truly, I never so fully, realized what must be the 
glorious reality of the heavenly city, as I did in witness- 
ing that sunset. " Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, 
nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, 
the glories which He hath prepared for those that love 
Him." 

Storm. — The captain was called up at four o'clock in 



16 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

the morning : a heavy squall was coming on, and we soon 
felt its terrible effects. It lasted about thirty-six hours. 
To look out, from the deck, the scene was sublimely 
awful. The waves rolling in mountains, the dense 
leaden clouds (from which the rain poured down in tor- 
rents) coming so close to the water that you could hardly 
discover where one began and the other terminated ; 
our little vessel pitching and tossing from side to 
side, every sail furled close, the helm lashed hard, and 
we left to drift entirely at the mercy of the winds and 
waves. All that human hands could do, the captain had 
done, and now we must rely entirely on the strength ol 
an Almighty arm. I never heard a single fear expressed ; 
all seemed to feel that our Father " was at the helm," 
and that He who once spake to the raging billows, 
" Peace ! be still !" yet " holds the winds in His fist and 
the waves in the hollow of His hand ;" and we knew 
that without His permission not a hair of our heads 
could perish. Outside, the scene was grand and terrific ; 
inside, spite of the awe (not fear) we all felt, the scene 
was so ludicrous, that every few minutes there would 
be a merry peal of laughter. "We did not profess to have 
any spiritual mediums on board, yet our heavy oak table 
was lifted out of its sockets, which were nailed to the 
floor, and was seen performing most remarkable gyra- 
tions through the cabin. It would have made the for- 
tune of a spiritualist, and all done without the interven- 
tion of any human hands, and even against the human 
will, following the luckless wight who happened to be in 
its path so swiftly, that he seldom escaped without a 
squeeze ; and so obstinate was it, that our united efforts 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 17 

were needed, not to make it move, but to make it keep 
still. Benches and chairs were turning somersets ; 
trunks were flying about in all directions. As to our- 
selves, seat and all, we would occasionally take a flying 
leap to the other side of the cabin, frequently putting 
ourselves into one another's arms. Our different steps 
and manoeuvres were such as a dancing or posture mas- 
ter would strive to imitate in vain. At night the storm 
seemed more fearful still. The deep, impenetrable dark- 
ness around us ; the noises sounding louder and harsher ; 
everything in the cabin dashing about ; the doors rat- 
tling and knocking ; the loud roar of the winds and 
waves ; while every beam in the little vessel seemed to 
creak and groan, as if in pain. " Those who go down 
to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters, 
these see the wonders of the Lord." At length the 
storm ceased, and again tranquillity reigned on the bosom 
of the mighty deep. u Oh ! that men would praise the 
Lord for His doings to the children of men." 

Friendless. — Last night I heard a sad tale — but how 
many there are like it. I had frequently noticed our sec- 
ond mate, so very kind and attentive, when he had any 
opportunity, doing little acts of service. I always spoke 
kindly to him. Last evening it was his watch on deck — I 
went up for a little fresh air before retiring. He placed 
a seat for me, and then lingering near, I commenced a 
conversation with him. Poor fellow ! his heart was 
overflowing. He told me that I was the first lady who 
had ever spoken to him — what women he had ever 
known had been of the lowest order. I said something 



18 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

about home. Home ! home ! he knew not what the 
word meant. He had no home. His mother had been 
dead six years, his father only a few months. They 
were both drunkards. At the age of five he was turned 
into the street to get his living as he could. He begged, 
and in summer slept in the markets and under carts, &c; 
in the winter he would occasionally find a sleeping-place 
with one of his companions, or he would beg enough to 
pay for a bed — sometimes finding where his mother and 
father were, and sleeping for a week or so with them. 
At length he picked up a few pennies, bought some 
newspapers, and set up in that business. From his 
papers, with the aid of the other boys about him, he 
taught himself to read. At the age of fourteen he went 
to sea. For three years he suffered much, but now he has 
been a sailor for nine years ; he does not like it, but at 
first " necessity knew no law," and now he feels that he 
is not fitted for anything else. He is a very fine steady 
young man, very ambitious, and desirous to improve 
himself. The captain takes quite an interest in him, 
and is teaching him navigation. I have promised to 
lend him some books, as he has none, and would like 
much to read. Poor fellow ! he feels as if he was like a 
waif cast upon the waters, without friends, or home, or 
any to love, or feel, or care for him. I hope we may be 
able to benefit him, and let him feel that some of his 
fellow-creatures take an interest in him, and, above all, 
I hope we may show him that he has a Friend above, 
who ever cares for and watches over him. Poor fellow ! 
his has been a hard fate, but I hope brighter days are in 
store for him. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 19 

Escape. — What a proof have we had to-day of God's 
watchful providence and care of us ! I was lying very 
sick on the sofa (for though a month out, I still suffer 
much) alone, all the rest were on deck, when suddenly I 
heard the most fearful screams. I rushed on deck, and 
found Miss Ball had fallen overboard. Our captain was 
in the forward part of the vessel ; he heard the steward 
scream " some one overboard," and shouted directly to the 
man at the helm to lay-to, for them to get out the boat ; 
but by that time he saw that Miss Ball was hanging on the 
side. There was a rope swinging on to the boom, which 
the mate, providentially, had placed there only that 
morning, and, as she fell, she had caught that. Had the 
accident occurred the day before, there would have been 
no hope, as at that time we were going very fast, and, 
for several days, sharks had been seen playing round the 
ship. The captain and mate were over the side of the 
vessel in a minute, and had her on board directly. But, 
oh ! the agony of that minute. She did not lose con- 
sciousness till she was on deck. The second mate was tear- 
ing up the steps, and with them he intended to leap over- 
board and tryand swim to her. But the captain says, if 
she had once been in the water he thinks there would 
have been no hope of saving her, we were going so fast. 
May we have grateful hearts for our God's unnumbered 
mercies. 

Composant. — A heavy thunder-storm last night, in the 
midst of which the captain called us up, to see what he 
called a composant ; it was a large ball of brilliant light, 
that appeared to be slowly climbing the rigging, and at 



20 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

length settled on the top of the mast. After this, we saw 
a number of them at different times, but we never could 
arrive at any determination as to what they were. At 
one time we thought they might be masses of decomposed 
animal ma tter, or some species of phosphorescence blown 
on board by the storm ; but on the sailors climbing to 
find out, they would put their hands on the very spot 
where the light was, and could feel nothing, but the 
light would shine on their hands. We came to the con- 
clusion that it was some species of electricity, but what 
we could not tell. 

Salute. — One of our lady passengers was awakened 
last night by a very affectionate salutation from a black 
gentleman ; but he happened to be of the swine species. 
He broke out of his pen, and in the middle of the night 
came rooting about for something nice, and so walked 
into her state-room, and put his cold nose in her face, she 
sleeping in the lower berth. There was a great uproar, as 
the lady had not bargained for so affectionate a greeting 
to the African coast. The captain was soon at work, 
trying to drive the gentleman out, but the more he drove, 
the more the pig would'nt go ; he was chased round and 
round the cabin, but at length, after affording us quite 
sufficient laughter and merriment, he w T as expelled. 

Kroomen. — A ship very near us all day. In the eve- 
ning we were watching the rising moon, all sitting on 
deck, and feeling quite sentimental, when we heard 
a very strange noise, like some one crying out for help. 
The man at the wheel shouted, "A man overboard!" 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 21 

The captain sprung directly to the side of the vessel, 
and there, on the top of the water, was a dark object 
nearing us. He knew that none had fallen overboard 
from our vessel, and he did not suppose, if any one 
had fallen from the other, that they could have sus- 
tained themselves so long above water, particularly as 
there appeared to be no lack of sharks in this vicinity. 
Tn a few minutes the shouts became louder, and 
we found that they must proceed from several human 
voices. The captain immediately concluded that it 
w r as some Kroomen come off from shore to be hired by 
him. These Kroomen are a race of seamen, who live 
all along the coast. As soon as ever they discover a 
vessel on the edge of the horizon, they put off for 
it in their canoes, hoping to be engaged by the captain ; 
every vessel on the African coast bein^ obliged to ensra^e 
a number of these men to perform all the manual labor 
while she stays on the coast, loading and unloading the 
vessel, &c, &c, as white men can perform very little 
labor here. All the harbors, likewise, on the whole coast 
are so bad, that nowhere can vessels come nearer than 
two miles from shore, all the loading and unloading being 
done by small boats. These, also, must always be man- 
ned by Kroomen, on account of the shifting sand-bars, 
rolling surf, and sunken rocks, with which they only are 
familiar: they, in fact, are the pilots of the coast; 
therefore, as they are most expert seamen, and no ves- 
sel, not even a slaver, can by any possibility do with- 
out them, they are never enslaved ; and to distin- 
guish them from other tribes on the coast, they have 
(both men and women) a long black mark down the 



22 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

face, from the top of the forehead to the tip of the nose. 
This is something like tattooing ; it is done in childhood, 
and is indelible. They also sharpen the two front teeth 
to a point, like dogs' teeth. They are a tall, well-formed, 
athletic race. Generally, when a captain engages a set 
of these men, he keeps them with him all the time he is 
on the coast ; they receive better wages and food than 
they can otherwise obtain, and when he discharges them, 
he writes them a certificate of good behaviour. This 
they call a book (any writing is a book), which they 
show to the next with whom they wish to engage. Our 
captain, not wishing the company of any of these gentry 
till we should reach Monrovia, made no attempt to wait 
for them ; but they redoubled their efforts, making the 
most unearthly noises and yells. In a little while they 
reached the side of the vessel. There were three men 
in a little canoe ; it seemed like a scollop shell, so small, 
exactly in shape like an Indian snow-shoe, pointed at 
both ends. One of the men was employed all the time 
baling out the water. The captain shouted to the men 
that he did not want them ; but one of them kept calling 
out all the time, " Book ! captain, book !" and, spite of 
all efforts to prevent it, he caught a rope, and was up the 
side of the vessel like a monkey. His costume, like the 
rest of the Kroomen, consisted of a cloth around the loins, 
and an old hat ; this, being the only dry spot, is where 
" the book" is generally carried. He presented a large 
paper parcel to the captain, which, on examining, proved 
to be a package of letters the captain of the other vessel 
wished us to post for him at Monrovia. A polite mes- 
sage was returned ; but, before leaving, the Kroomen 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 23 

wanted " a dash," (a present.) They are great beggars. 
They wanted either rum or tobacco. Upon finding we 
had neither on board, they were quite disgusted, but 
upon the receipt of a little biscuit and meat, they disap- 
peared in the direction of the other vessel. Long after 
they had disappeared from our sight, however^ we could 
hear their harsh cries and discordant yells, which it seems 
was singing — though, truth to say, I should never have 
supposed it. So, I suppose, we are introduced to Africa. 



24 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



CljauUr Sh0«*l 



xAIONROVIA, 



Kroomen. — At three o'clock to-day we came within 
sight of Cape Mesurado, behind which lies the town of 
Monrovia, and soon commenced such a scene of excite- 
ment as I never before witnessed. "When we were still 
several miles out from land, the water, began to be dotted 
with black specks, and, in a short time, we perceived 
that they were the canoes of the Kroomen, each strain- 
ing vigorously to be the first to reach the vessel. In 
each canoe is a headman ; he is the best dressed — per- 
haps he will wear a shirt and pantaloons. He presents 
his "book" to the captain, which he carries either in his 
hat, or in a little tin box around his neck, and the first 
one whose testimonials are satisfactory is immediately 
engaged. He instantly takes charge of the vessel, pilots 
her to her anchorage, and engages, and is responsible 
for the conduct of the other men the captain may 
require. The vessel anchors two or three miles from 
shore, and even the row-boats can seldom approach 
nearer than a dozen or twenty yards from the beach, 
and everything, including live stock, has to be carried 
on shore, in the Krooman's arms, through the boiling 
surf. Our captain has engaged Jack Frying Pan at 
half a dollar, or the worth of it in cloth, and five 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 25 

others at a shilling a day. They often have very curious 
names, given to them in jest by the sailors with whom 
they have worked. These names they have cut out, or 
carved on large ivory rings, which they wear as bracelets. 

Mr. Wilson. — In about an hour after we anchored, 
we perceived a boat pushing off from the shore. In it 
was the custom-house officer, a colored gentleman, and 
the Rev. Mr. "Wilson, a white missionary, belonging to 
the Presbyterian Board. He knew we were expected, 
and came to see if we had arrived, and to give us a 
warm and Christian greeting. We never shall forget 
his kind and affectionate welcome. He made us feel at 
once that he forgot not the injunction, " love as bre- 
thren." That is one beautiful feature of missionary 
life — there is no distinction felt of sect or denomination, 
all are " one in Christ Jesus ;" they feel that there is 
" one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father 
of all" and they are too anxious to point the poor dark- 
ened souls to the true way, to stop themselves to quarrel 
about the appearance of the different shrubs, flowers, 
and trees in that way. It is impossible to tell the effect 
of such a greeting to a sad heart, and from a stranger, 
too. It is one of those bright spots in life, which time 
or change can never efface. Mr. Wilson remained on 
board with us an hour or so, and made us promise to 
spend the day with him to-morrow on shore. 

Landing. — The captain expects to lay here at Mon- 
rovia for several days ; he says we may have the boat 
to go on shore whenever we like, and if we will only let 



26 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

him know in time, he will always go with us to take care 
of us ; he is very kind. About ten o'clock we announced 
our readiness. The boat was drawn up alongside, and 
we prepared to descend. The captain went down with 
each lady. Clambering down the rope ladder made us 
feel very dizzy, and rather fearful. After he had assisted 
all the ladies, the captain left the gentlemen to manage 
for themselves, and they very much amused as well as 
somewhat frightened us by their unsailor-like manoeuvres. 
"We had Jack Frying Pan, and four stout Kroomen, to 
manage the boat, and they commenced a species of sing- 
ing or yelling, keeping time to their oars ; one impro- 
vising something in praise of one or all of their passengers, 
and the others coming in with the chorus. 

The scene, as we near the town, is very pretty. On 
our right is Cape Mesurado, a lofty promontory, stretch- 
ing a long distance into the ocean, covered from base to 
summit with trees of most luxuriant foliage ; peeping 
out from amongst them, at the very top, is the white 
lighthouse, looking very pretty from amidst the surround- 
ing trees. Back of the Cape lies the town ; we can 
scarcely see it from the water. On our left, stretches a 
long line of low, sandy beach, with here and there a 
stately palm-tree lifting up its head, looking even more 
tall from the surrounding flatness. Immediately in front 
of us is a narrow beach, on wdiich the Kroo-town is situ- 
ated, the mouth of the St. Paul's River coming into the 
ocean just at its side. Back of the town thick foliage 
again appears, while between the shore and ourselves ex- 
tend a long line of breakers, looking very beautiful, in- 
deed ; but when we recollect that they lie between us 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 27 

and the land, and that we must pass through them 'ere 
we reach it — and imagination portrays to us a good 
ducking, if nothing worse — we could readily dispense 
with the additional beauty they add to the scene. But 
here they come now ; sit still — keep quiet. There ! we 
can but admire the skill with which we have been pi- 
loted over those enormous breakers, without even a 
sprinkle. And, look ! there are crowds of men, women 
and children on the shore to greet us : many of them, in 
addition to their ordinary attire of a simple cloth around 
the loins, having a string of beads, or a piece of string, 
with from one to eight leopard's teeth attached, worn 
around the neck. Many of the women, too, consider 
themselves very much ornamented by white stripes on 
the face and body, formed with a species of pipe-clay. 
It, however, serves to make them look ghastly. There! 
our boat is aground, and we are about twenty yards 
from the shore. Our boatmen spring out into the water, 
and shouting, " Come, daddy — come, mammy," lift us, 
with apparently the same ease that we would a little 
child, and carry us on shore. It was amusing too, to see 
tall men, like our gentlemen, carried in the arms like 
overgrown babies — and our first salutations to the shores 
of Africa were merry peals of laughter. How different 
to the sensations we thought would pervade our minds 
when we should first set foot on that darkened land, 
where we all expected to suffer sickness, weariness, toil 
and privation, if not death — hoping to aid in her redemp- 
tion! But a sense of the ludicrous, for the time, over- 
came all other feeling. The Kroo-town here is a collec- 
tion of houses, placed without regard to regularity or 



28 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

order ; they are small houses, about sixteen to twenty 
feet square, the sides formed of plaited bamboo, with 
branches of the plantain laid on to form the roof : the 
roof overhanging all round, so as to throw off the water. 
In some houses there is an attempt to form a piazza. 
The door being quite low, you are compelled to stoop very 
much to enter. This door serves as chimney and 
window, as well as door. We passed through the town, 
followed by troops of men, women and children, and 
climbing up a steep hill, entered Monrovia. Mr. Wilson 
had come to meet us, but somehow he had missed us ; 
soon, however, we saw his bright, beaming counten- 
ance, and felt the cordial pressure of his hand. Poor 
man ! he was alone ; his wife and child had been com- 
pelled for a time to leave him, to seek health in their 
native clime ; and his colleague, the Rev. Mr, Williams, 
had lately had a very severe illness, on which account he 
had gone on a short voyage. On the top of the hill stands 
the city of Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. The houses 
are disconnected from each other ; and, whether built 
of brick, stone, wood or plaster, are all very much 
defaced by the effects of the climate. The streets are very 
broad, and covered with grass ; but having no horses or 
vehicles of any kind, there is nothing to destroy it. 
There is no such thing as a paving-stone to be seen ; so 
in walking through the streets you are like walking 
through a beautiful green field, shaded by the orange, 
cocoa-nut, plantain and banana trees, that grow in the 
gardens. Mr. James met us : he is a colored gentleman, 
one of the first missionaries in Liberia. (When I use the 
word gentleman, I use it in its true acceptation, mean- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 29 

ing an educated and refined man ; and the true Chris- 
tian is always a gentleman. He has charge of the 
school here, and he conducted us to his house. Mr. 
Wilson boards with him. This house, which is a sample 
of many, is built of rough, unhewn stone, like some of 
our old-fashioned country churches. You enter by the 
front door into a large room, used as a dining-room. 
The floors of all the rooms are covered with matting. 
Close to the front door, as you enter, there is a narrow 
staircase that leads up to the parlor. The staircase 
never has any carpeting. The parlor is a large room, 
plainly but neatly furnished, always with a broad piazza 
in front. The bedrooms all open out of the parlor, from 
which they are divided by plain, wooden partitions, 
sometimes painted, but* more frequently without either 
paint or whitewash. Generally, there are no rooms be- 
low, except the dining-room and offices, as it is prefer- 
able to sleep and live as high from the ground as pos- 
sible. The people here dress very handsomely. 

We went with Mr. Wilson to see his house, where 
he lives : it is the mission-house ; but having no lady 
there, he and his colleague take their meals at Mr. 
James,' though they live at the mission-house. It made 
us feel very sad when we w r ent into the bedroom, to see 
the little vacant crib, (its dear little occupant having 
gone home with its mother in pursuit of health), and to 
remember that we should have no dear little pets in 
Africa, as no white child can live here. And I think we 
at the North show a far stronger aversion to the colored 
race than even the Southerners do. Many of us would 
far rather kiss and fondle an ugly little black dog, than 



30 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

we would bestow the same kindnesses on a little human 
being, endowed with an immortal soul, which we hope 
and pray may live with us forever in eternity, because 
that human being is of a different color from ourselves. 
How strange, how inconsistent is man ! 

This is the warmest season of the year, the thermom- 
eter at ninety-two ; it rarely exceeds that, but we have 
a most refreshing sea-breeze. The climate of this coun- 
try is very even, rarely exceeding ninety-two, and never 
hardly going below seventy-two. After being again 
most cordially welcomed, and made to feel at home, Mr. 
Wilson brought us some oranges ; they were larger 
than any I had ever seen, but as green as the greenest 
apple, yet perfectly ripe. They were very delicious. 
No fruit must be eaten here after sunset ; it is considered 
unwholesome. At dinner-time we again adjourned to 
Mr. James'. We had an excellent dinner — the table 
beautifully laid — plenty of silver, napkins, &c. Two 
little boy-natives waited at table, and did it exceedingly 
well. The natives are becoming civilized, by being ser- 
vants ; and they are quite willing to act as such, even for 
very small pay, as they obtain in that way much better 
food than they do at home. We had many different 
kinds of vegetables, all new and strange to me, but I 
thought them all good ; for after so many weeks of sea- 
fare, everything tasted nice. About five o'clock we re- 
turned to the ship, as we did not wish to remain on 
shore after dusk. Sleeping on shore one night is enough 
to give the fever, and we did not wish to take it till our 
arrival at our own homes ; but a good night's rest on 
shore was a great temptation. We had to be carried in 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 31 

the same way from the shore to the boat that we had 
been in the morning. We reached the vessel greatly 
tired, but very much pleased with our reception, and I 
hope with hearts filled with gratitude to our heavenly 
Father. 

Kroo Philosophy. — Mr. Wilson came on board early 
this morning, and brought us a quantity of limes and 
oranges. He looks very unhealthy ; but says his ap- 
pearance is a fair specimen of all the whites we would 
see on the coast. He and Mrs. Ogden sang very sweetly 
together. 

I asked one of our Kroomen (who spoke a little Eng- 
lish), Jim Upside- Doivit, " How many wives have you, 
Jim?" He answered, " 0, me five, mammy." " That's 
wrong, Jim ; you ought to have but one. God's book 
says man have one wife." " Oh, mammy, that no coun- 
try fash.^ S'pose now, mammy, me but one wife ; she 
be cross sometime ; she have palaver ;t she no cook me 
my rice ; what I do den ? But s'pose I go have tree, 
four wives ; the first one be cross, den 'noder cook me 
my rice." Such is their philosophy. A man's wealth 
and position in society is estimated by the number of his 
wives. 

Sunday. — We went on shore to church to-day. Our 
own little place of worship being closed, we went to the 
Presbyterian — our ministers, w T ho were on board, preach- 
ing. We were all very kindly invited to Dr. McGill's to 
dinner — Mr. Wilson to be with us. In the church, the 

* Fashion, custom, f Quarrel, dispute ; serious talk about anything. 



32 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 

colored clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Henning, read the 
hymns beautifully, and offered the closing prayer. His 
prayer was excellent. Sitting in that little church, this 
morning, after passing through the disgusting scenes of 
Kroo-town, as I saw the decent and well-dressed congre- 
gation, and compared them with those we had just seen, 
I could only think, " "What hath God wrought !" Though 
white ladies are great strangers here, yet there was no 
staring, no looking round, but as devout behaviour as I 
have ever seen in the house of God. As I glanced 
through the window, and saw many of the poor, half- 
naked savages passing along, and then looked inside, the 
tears coursed down my cheeks. I had to lean my head 
down, and to thank Grod, oh ! how heartily, that He had 
granted to me, one so vile and feeble, the glorious pri- 
vilege of coming forth to bear the "lamp of life" to 
these poor darkened ones. I thought, if our dear friends 
at home could only see all we had seen to-day, instead of 
mourning our loss, their very philanthropy or love to hu- 
manity (if their love to (rod and His glory, and the eternal 
welfare of immortal souls, would not do it,) would make 
them willing that their loved ones, as missionaries, like 
Howard, should have the glorious privilege of helping to 
restore and elevate the human race. After service, the 
people crowded round us, to shake hands, and thank us 
for coming among them to help them. We were very 
much pleased with Dr. McGrill and family. The Doctor 
received his education partly in England. He is consid- 
ered a very efficient and able physician. He and his 
family are quite light-colored. After service we again 
went on board. So ended our first Sunday in Africa. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 33 

Oar gentlemen have commenced their labors. Grod grant 
that faithfully and truly they may preach and teach 
Christ crucified. 

Dr. McGrili is a gentleman, and his house, in all par- 
ticulars, well appointed. 

Schools. — Two of us went on shore to-day. We visi- 
ted the school under the care of Miss Williams. (She is 
a young colored lady, attached to our mission, a cousin 
of Dr. McGrili.) She has a very nice school ; about fifty 
bright, intelligent-looking children, all shades of color, 
from pure white (at which I was much surprised) to the 
most jetty black. In their spelling, little ones of seven 
years of age were spelling long words, such as " hydro- 
statics," &c. 

We then went to the high school. It was the time 
of the school examination, previous to breaking up for 
the holidays. They were here being examined in gram- 
mar, and the children did great credit both to themselves 
and their teacher. 

We then called on Mrs. Crummel. Her husband is 
one of our colored clergymen. She is very dark, but a 
lady in mind and manners. Indeed, we have been very 
much surprised at the good breeding of all we have met 
here. Rev. Mr. Crummel was educated partly at Cam- 
bridge, England, and she was with him there. They 
mixed in the best society ; indeed, they received great 
attention there. 

The Driver. — To-day I made an acquaintance which 
I could very readily have dispensed with. It was tho 



34 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

African ant, called the driver. They seem formed to be 
the scavengers of Africa. They devour everything of the 
animal kind that is already dead, and even attack the 
largest living animals, when at all disabled, eating them 
up entirely, and leaving nothing but well-cleaned bones. 
Rats, mice, and all small vermin, have no chance with 
them. If they once enter the house, the human beings 
have to desert it ; and then they never leave it till every 
living thing of every kind is entirely demolished. A 
poor man was left here a short time ago, sick in bed, and 
shut up in a house alone for a few hours. When his 
friends returned, they found him dead, and almost com- 
pletely eaten up. I have read that in some part of Af- 
rica it used to be the mode in which they would deal 
capital punishment on an offender, just to bind him and 
lay him out in the grass, in the track of these ants, and 
in a few hours his bones would be bleaching in the sun. 
The inhabitants here are often very glad to have a visit 
from the drivers ; for it is only to leave the house to them 
for a few hours, and every species of vermin is destroyed, 
and then they take themselves off to another quarter I 
was in the garden walking, when I felt such a dreadful 
bite. I ran immediately into the house, and I found 
four of them upon me ; and by what they made me suf- 
fer in those few minutes, I could readily imagine how 
possible it was for thousands of them to destroy any liv- 
ing thing. They are about half an inch long, a dark 
brown, their fore claws resembling those of a lobster ; 
and with these they can make you feel. I have no de- 
sire to renew my personal acquaintance with them. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE TN AFRICA. 35 

Miss Killpatric. — Miss Killpatrio, an Irish lady, a 
missionary of the Methodist Church, who has a school 
at a station up the St. Paul's river, about twenty miles 
from here, having received letters, and hearing of our arri- 
val, came down to see and welcome us. She said it did 
her so much g©od to see faces from home. 

All missionaries are truly, and indeed, one family. 
So isolated from all the world, they love the more dearly 
those whom they may meet far, far away from home. 
They all have the same hopes, and fears, and aims ; the 
same joys and sorrows ; the same labors and rewards, and 
they " love as brethren." "We asked her to come and 
spend the day on board with us to-morrow. 

The next day I had a very bad headache, and was quite 
sick. I could not enjoy Miss Killpatric's society in con- 
sequence. I suppose we went about too much in the 
sun yesterday. Mr. Wilson slept on board. How pleas- 
antly he talks, and encourages us in the prospect of our 
work ; but he gives us such strict charges to be careful 
about our health. Grod give us hearts to labor. 

Sail Again. — Mr. "Wilson slept on board again last 
night, and we weighed anchor this morning, after sending 
him ashore. Our company, I believe, has cheered his lone- 
liness. He had been threatened with an attack of fever, 
but now feels a little better. He had recently received a 
letter telling him they were hourly expecting the death of 
Mrs. Payne. She is dying of consumption. She has 
been a faithful laborer here for eighteen years, and now 
she is joyfully anticipating her home. Probably, ere we 



36 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

anchor, her little bark will be safely moored in the 
harbor of eternal rest. 

"We see many Kroomen out fishing. The captain 
bought some fish to-day ; they were as small as flat-fish 
but somewhat the shape of a mackerel, of a beautiful 
coral color, and delicious flavor. I could not learn their 
name. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 37 



CAPE PALMAS. 

The breeze has freshened. "We may possibly arrive at 
home to-day ; home, it will be for some time, possibly, 
my long' home. Some of the Kroomen who came along- 
side told us Mrs. Payne died last Friday — sad news for 
us, but her home is now in the skies. 

About three o'clock we anchored off Cape Palmas, but 
full two hours before we dropped anchor, a Krooman 
brought a note to Miss Ball from Mr. Hoffman, saying 
he " hoped the vessel now in sight might prove to be the 
Ocean Eagle ; we were expected in her ; and if so, he 
begged warmly to welcome us, and state how long and 
anxiously they had been looking for us, and how much 
they would rejoice at our arrival." None but those that 
have been circumstanced as we were, can know the feel- 
ings we experienced at receiving such greetings. Mr. Hoff- 
man is our missionary at Cape Palmas. For some time, 
in addition to all his other duties, he has had charge of 
the Girls' Orphan Asylum. I hope we may relieve him 
of some of his cares. My labor, for the present, will be 
among the Liberians, who are mostly liberated slaves, and 
their children ; a class of people in whom I feel deeply 
interested. The Orphan Asylum is not for the natives, 



38 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

but exclusively for the orphans of Liberians. I am 
to be their teacher. For my own part, I am willing to 
labor wherever the Bishop shall see fit to place me. 

About four o'clock we bid adieu to our ocean home 
and started for the shore. But who shall tell the agita- 
tion of our feelings as we felt that now, indeed, we were 
about to enter on our glorious work — that we were 
privileged to lend our feeble aid for the redemption of 
Africa? Cape Palmas runs out into a point, and the 
Orphan Asylum is situated directly on the point. It 
is beautifully located. The point is very high, but 
you can descend to the water's edge by a winding path 
formed in the rugged rocks ; at the base of the point 
these rocks jut out in broken pieces into the sea, the 
waves forever foaming and bursting upon them. As we 
neared the shore, we saw the girls from the Asylum 
run down the path, on to one of the higher portions of 
the rock, and stand watching our approach, and when 
we came near enough they began to sing some songs of 
welcome, waving to us, and some of them dancing up 
and down in their delight at our arrival. The landing 
was some little distance further along the beach. There 
Mr. Hoffman was waiting for us, who gave us such a 
warm greeting he made us feel at home at once. With 
him was the Rev. Mr. Gibson, one of our colored clergy- 
men ; he is a very fine man. He very politely offered 
me his arm to help me up the hill. We Northerners, 
who are so bitterly opposed to the oppression of the 
Africans, by our proud reserve and hauteur, wound 
the feelings of the free educated black much more than 
the lash does that of the slave. There is no reason that 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 39 

we should become amalgamationists, but we should treat 
every one as our fellow man, and a gentleman, as such, 
no matter of what country or clime he is. 

When we reached the Asylum the children were all 
ranged in a row, to receive us, looking so delighted and 
happy. When we entered our room there were flowers 
beautifully arranged and everything speaking a wel- 
come to us. Mr. Hoffman sent off a note immediately to 
inform the Bishop of our arrival. Cavalla, the station 
where he resides, is about twelve miles from here, be- 
yond the boundaries of Liberia, entirely in the heathen 
territory. 

Church. — After tea, feeling much refreshed, Miss 
Ball and myself went out to church with Mr. Hoffman. 
Wednesday evening, being lecture-night, Miss Hogan 
felt too fatigued to go with us. The little church is 
quite half a mile from the Asylum, and it seemed a long 
walk, particularly as there is a very steep hill to climb. 
The cape is joined to the main land by a sort of isth- 
mus, quite narrow in some places, so that we hear the 
constant beat of the waves on the rocks, during our walk. 

How beautiful our church service seemed that night, 
and I do think there were some grateful hearts there. 
How we wished our friends at home could have known 
of our arrival, that they might have joined with us in 
the grateful song of praise. After service, our colored 
friends crowded around us to give us their welcomes and 
congratulations. May our lives here testify our gratu 
tude for God's mercies. 



40 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

The Asylum. — Though we had thought it would be 
so delightful to sleep on shore, yet we were all too much 
excited ; but our coffee refreshed us much this morning. 
There is coffee enough grown here for home consump- 
tion, and it is far superior to any I have ever tasted. 
They are in hopes soon to raise enough to export. I am 
sure it would bring a good price. 

I find we are on a lovely spot. The cape is a high 
promontory, running out into the water quite a distance, 
and the land to the right, forming part of a circle, makes 
a very pretty bay — a small river from inland opening 
into this bay — across that river and along the shore are 
several little Kroo-towns, with a background of dense 
foliage. Immediately back of the Asylum, which stands 
by the side of the lighthouse, on the brow of the hill, 
and has a splendid look-out to sea, are a number of 
the houses of the colonists, with their little gardens in 
good cultivation, (we have a fine garden at the Asylum.) 
Then comes the isthmus, a very rocky, sandy bit of 
land — a Krootown used to stand there, but since the late 
war between the colonists and the natives, the natives 
have been compelled to remove the town across the river. 
It was a great annoyance, as the church standing on the 
other side of this little neck of land, where it is more 
thickly peopled, those who lived on the point were 
always obliged to pass through the town to go to 
church ; and this, on a Sunday, was particularly disa- 
greeable, as they disliked that their children should 
witness the fearful desecration of the Sabbath. It is 
pleasanter now, it is removed. We have a number of 
cocoa-nut and other trees around the house, but it hav- 
ing been so recently constructed (indeed, it is not quite 






> 
3 

ta 



03 

S3* 










■ 



I 






EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 41 

finished yet), they are younger and fewer than we could 
wish, but that a little time will remedy. 

We were awakened very early this morning by a loud 
talking and jabbering outside our window. Upon look- 
ing out upon what we should call our back-yard, what a 
strange sight presented itself! about a dozen men, 
women and children, hanging about, talking as fast and 
as loud as possible. Though the adults always wear a 
cloth around their loins, the children, until the age of 
twelve or fourteen, rarely, if ever, wear anything at all 
upon their persons, save at times a string of beads or a 
string of grass around their loins, or neck, sometimes 
with one, two or three leopard's teeth attached. In the 
yard were several women beating rice ; this is the chief 
food here, and among the poorer classes they have little 
else, both colonists and natives. For beating the rice 
they have large wooden mortars, and two women stand 
on opposite sides with very thick heavy pestles, with 
which they beat. After this it is emptied into large 
basket sieves, and tossed, for the wind to blow away the 
chaff. There being so many to feed in this house, 
the work is going on the most of the time. Besides 
these, there were other women carrying stone for the 
completion of the building — all burdens are borne on 
the head. 

We received very kind notes from the Bishop and Miss 
Wiliiford to-day. They pleaded excessive fatigue, and sad- 
ness consequent on their recent bereavement, as an excuse 
for not coming to meet us ; but hoped, as the next week 
was to be the school examination at Cavalla, we would 
go down there, and we should receive the warmest wel- 
come. 



42 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

We have arrived in good season. The children in all 
the schools have a public examination half-yearly, at 
Christmas and midsummer, and then they have holiday 
for three weeks, and those who have homes or friends 
visit them at that time if they wish. 

Mr. T. Thompson, a young colored man who is study- 
ing for the ministry, has been teaching the girls here in 
the absence of any ladies, but he is very glad to resign 
his charge, as he is very anxious to pursue his studies. 
The holidays just commencing, I shall have a little time 
to get my things straight before school duties begin. 
All our friends from on board ship spent the day here to- 
day. The missionaries all along the coast have learnt 
the injunction to " use hospitality one to another, with- 
out grudging." 

Miss Ball has left us to go to her home at C a valla, 
where she is much needed. She went in a hammock — 
this is the usual mode of conveyance. A long pole, to 
which the hammock is swung, is borne on the heads of 
two of the natives — a flat piece of wood being fastened 
to the ends of the pole, where it rests on the head — under 
this, however, they first place a sort of pad, formed of 
leaves. I should think it a very unpleasant mode of 
conveyance, as you must all the time feel as if you are 
making beasts of burden of your fellow-creatures. The 
Bishop and Mr. Hoffman have each of them had a horse 
made a present to them. But, poor things, they suffer, 
too, as well as human beings in this climate. At pres- 
ent they are going through their acclimation, and must 
be used very tenderly. 

Our morning and evening worship is held in the 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 43 

school-room ; and a bell being rung, some of the natives 
always come in — sometimes it is one and sometimes it 
is another — and they always behave with great propri- 
ety. A number of them are Christians. Truly, the field 
here is white for the harvest ; and we must pray more 
faithfully that "the Lord of the harvest will send forth 
more laborers into His harvest." Mr. Hoffman has a ser- 
vice every Friday at Mount Yaughan, about three miles 
from here. The two gentlemen from on board the ship 
are gone with him to-day. Mrs. Ogden is with us, help- 
ing us to get our rooms a little in order. The other la- 
dies have not come on shore to-day. The house is con- 
stantly crowded with natives. One woman has come to 
" dash " us a fowl (to dash, is to present) ; but they al- 
ways expect to receive, in a few days, a dash in return, 
far more valuable than the one they present. The ani- 
mals of all kinds here are very diminutive ; there are 
very few cattle, or domestic animals, of any sort. Mr. 
Hoffman has a cow ; neither cows nor bullocks are 
larger than Shetland ponies ; but they are very pretty. 
The calves are not larger than good-sized spaniels; they 
come from the Mandingo country. The chickens, also, 
are very small. 

• We are trying to get a little to rights, but the things 
from the ship come on shore very slowly. My matting 
has just arrived, and two of the native men are putting 
it down for me. They do it very nicely. They are 
Christians — Scott and Eastburn. As I look round, 
those words constantly come up : " "What hath God 
wrought !" May I labor diligently in this vineyard. But 
I already feel the effects of the climate — such lassitude 



44 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

and debility, as if I could hardly stand or move. This 
must be shaken off; it will never do to give way to it. 
But I believe my long and severe illness on shipboard 
has enfeebled me very much, instead of the voyage in- 
vigorating me. 

Our Pets. — Miss Hogan and myself have each se- 
lected one of the elder girls to be our attendant, in our 
own rooms, and we shall, in return, teach them the 
lighter and finer kinds of work — nice needlework, &c, &c. 
They are both members of the Church, and very good 
girls. Artee, Miss Hogan's attendant, is a very pretty, 
light-colored girl. She stood as godmother, a few Sun- 
days ago, for a little infant (the child of a native Chris- 
tian) who was baptized. She seems thoroughly to un- 
derstand her duty. Julia, my girl, is very black, but 
very good-natured, and understands the Grrebo language ; 
and I want her to go with me as interpreter to the native 
towns, which I hope, if God gives* me health and 
strength, often to visit. 

Mr. Hoffman called me out of my room this morning ; 
he had something to tell me he knew would make my 
heart glad, or, as the natives express it, " make my heart 
lay down." He told me that the boy who is supported 
by our Sunday-school, and to whom we had given the 
name of Christopher Lippet Paddock, had appeared for a 
long time to be deeply serious ; indeed, he could not 
doubt of his being really a Christian. He is now very de- 
sirous of baptism ; and Mr. Hoffman thinks him a very 
suitable subject, in every way fitted for the reception of 
the sacred rite. Two others, from the same station, are 
to be baptized to-morrow with him (the station he is at 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 45 

is about five miles off), here at our little church, St. 
Mark's. It is his wish and Mr. Hoffman's that I should 
stand with him, as one of his witnesses. How pleasant 
this will be — my first Sunday at my African home. Is 
it not good news for our Sunday-school ? May Grod en- 
large their hearts and their means more and more in this 
good work. 

Mr. Hoffman has also two little pets here, which he has 
taken expressly, he says, for Miss Hogan and myself to 
take care of. They are two little boys, about five years 
old. Wait is a little deaf mute, but so bright ; he is a 
brother to the little deaf and dumb boy Mr. Hoffman sent 
to America, and who is now in the asylum, under the 
care of Mr. Peet. The other, Dago, is a little Grrebo 
boy, the son of the head man of a town about six miles 
from here. Often Mr. Hoffman had noticed him when he 
would preach in that town. At length the child appeared 
to become very much attached to Mr. Hoffman ; and one 
day he followed him, and would not leave him. And 
the father willingly giving his consent, Mr. Hoffman 
brought him home with him, where he has since re- 
mained. He is a regular negro — flat nose, thick lips, 
&c. — very ugly ; but he is a dear little fellow, very gen- 
tle and docile. Miss Hogan said she liked Wall best ; 
so she has taken him for her boy, and I have taken 
Dago. He cannot yet speak a word of English ; so I 
have everything to teach him. May grace be given, that 
he may be trained up for Grod. Strange to say, the chil- 
dren, too, have specially attached themselves to us, as if 
they knew of our arrangement. Perhaps, unwittingly, 
there may be a difference in our manner to them. I can- 



46 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

not find a minute in the daytime to write home ; I have 
to do it after I retire for the night. A bad habit, this, in 
a climate where we require so much rest. 

Sunday. — We could perceive it was Sunday morning, 
even before we were out of bed — the deep calm of a Sab- 
bath morn, instead of the clatter of other days, prevail- 
ing. Nothing now was to be heard but the breaking of 
the surf upon the rocks, at the base of our mount. We 
had prayers, at which a great many of the natives at- 
tended. I like Mr. Hoffman's plan of conducting prayers 
so much. In the morning, after singing a hymn, he re- 
peats a verse of Scripture, and makes a few remarks on 
it ; then each one present repeats a verse in rotation, and 
he makes a few remarks on each. In this way the chil- 
dren acquire an immense amount of Scripture knowl- 
edge. At evening worship, he selects a portion of Scrip- 
ture and explains it. We breakfasted at eight. Imme- 
diately after which, Mr. Hoffman went off to preach, or 
teach, in one native town, and Mr. Thompson, our colored 
teacher, who is preparing for the ministry, and boards 
with us, went to another. At half-past nine all the chil- 
dren collected in the school-room, neatly dressed, where 
they practiced different hymns and chants till it was 
time to proceed to church. 

Our friends from the vessel met us, and together we 
went to church, which is a long walk in the heat of the 
day in this sultry clime. It is not so hot as we fre- 
quently have it in America, but there appears to be some- 
thing very debilitating in the atmosphere, that oppresses 
one with a constant feeling of weariness. Our church is 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 47 

very small, and nmcli crowded ; it needs enlarging very 
much. Two schools of native boys attend here ; one 
from Hoffman station, directly across the river, under 
the charge of George Harris, a native, who is studying 
for the ministry — a very fine man ; the other a school 
five miles off (they walk in every Sunday to church). 
As yet it has only six boys, three of w T hom are to be bap- 
tized to-day. Their teacher is a native — John Farr. 
Thus these first fruits are beginning to sow the seeds of 
a glorious harvest. 

The dress of these boys, as of most native Christians, 
consists of a shirt of colored cotton, and a strip of printed 
calico about a yard and a half long, the full width of the 
calico. This is neatly bound with some bright color, and 
tucked in round the waist, hanging down to the knees, or 
below. The teachers, and others, as they advance in 
civilization, assume more the dress and appearance of 
Christians. How exquisitely beautiful appeared our ser- 
vices to-day. It would be impossible to describe my 
feelings when I went forward to stand as the chosen wit- 
ness of one who had lately been brought "out of dark- 
ness into marvellous light" — one whom our own Sun- 
day-school had been the means, under God, of placing 
in his present position, as " a child of God, an inheritor 
of eternal life." The candidates do not yet thoroughly 
understand English. The service, and its nature, had 
been previously thoroughly explained to them in Grebo, 
and the questions were put to them by their teacher 
(as Mr. Hoffman's interpreter), who stood as one of their 
witnesses, in that language ; and the answers were given 
most slowly and distinctly, in the same. "May God 



48 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

perfect the good work thus begun in them." C. L. Pad- 
dock is about fourteen, a fine, nice-looking boy, of great 
promise. The other two are older ; they, also, are very 
fine boys ; but I shall always be likely to take a warmer 
interest in Paddock. I feel as if this had been one of 
the happiest days of my life. Nothing would tempt me 
to return home. I hope, if it is (rod's will, to live, and 
yes, to die in Africa ! In the afternoon we went to Sunday- 
school. Every alternate Sunday Mr. Hoffman preaches 
over the river, in the afternoon, at Hoffman station. His 
labors are very great. In the evening, Mr. Gribson (our 
colored clergyman) preached a most excellent sermon ; 
and so finished our first Sunday in our new home. 
Walking to that church three times a day is too much. 
I hardly know whether I am really ill, or whether it is 
only the effects of the climate on me already. I must 
fight against it ; but my head aches all the time, and a 
constant aching pain in my limbs troubles me ; but I 
must not complain. 

"We are still busy getting our rooms in order, but we 
have such constant interruptions. We, each of us, have 
a nice large room, very airy ; they all open on a fine 
piazza, that runs all around the house. These piazzas 
are not only great luxuries, but they are absolute neces- 
sities in this hot climate. We feel completely at home, 
and amongst w r arm friends. Every day we receive a 
kind note from the Bishop, or one of the ladies at Ca- 
valla, inquiring of our welfare. Each morning, directly 
after prayers, Julia brings Dayo up into my room, and 
I am trying to begin my instruction to him, she inter- 
preting to him for me. This morning I made her tell 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 49 

him that the great Grod who made him lives in heaven ; 
and that he must pray to him to take care of him. I 
then made him kneel down beside me, and say after me, 
" Pray, God, take care of Dayo, and make him a good 
boy." Julia explained to him what he was doing, and 
the meaning of the words. I made him repeat this over 
several times, till he could pronounce each word right. 
I then got a picture book, and showed him a horse, dog, 
&c, till he knew several words. Such was my first les- 
son, which I hope to repeat, a little at a time, several 
times a day. 

Hoffman Station. — Our friends came from the ship 
to go across the river to visit Hoffman station, where 
Harris resides. The captain kindly lent us his boat, and 
we soon reached what Mr. Hoffman calls his flower gar- 
den, " buds of promise," both literally and spiritually. 
Harris has a very pretty little house, surrounded by a most 
beautiful flower garden, arranged with excellent taste. 
There is a native town close by, from which the boys 
are collected in school. We first went into Harris's 
house. His wife is a deeply pious, devoted woman. 
She was a native, educated at the girls' school at Ca- 
valla ; she collects the women from the town on Sunday 
afternoon, and once in the week, to teach them the 
things pertaining to Grod ; and at other times she teaches 
them to sew. She is doing a great work among them. 
After paying a short visit to Sophia (Harris's wife), we 
went to the boys' school, followed everywhere by a 
tribe of women and children. About thirty boys were 
here, all natives, conning their lessons under the care of 

3 



50 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

another teacher, also a native, whom Harris has occa- 
sionally to assist him. They read very well, both in 
English and Grebo, and recited their lessons in English. 
Mr. Jack then asked them many questions in Bible 
history, through an interpreter, and we were all much 
astonished at their aptness, and the extent of their infor- 
mation. We have been constantly surprised at the state 
of progress and improvement going on. It must have 
been a work of pure, implicit faith in the first labors 
here ; but so much of the fruits can be seen, that 
though still a work of faith, yet now there is abundant 
evidence of the result. From the school we proceeded 
to the native town. This is a cluster of huts, from one 
to two hundred in number, perfectly circular, varying in 
size from fifty to a hundred feet in circumference ; the 
roof rises into a perfect cone, thatched with the long- 
branches of the banana, plantain, and bamboo ; these are 
from twelve to twenty feet high at the highest point. 
The roof extends several feet beyond the sides of the hut. 
The floor is made of clay, beaten very hard and smooth, 
and generally kept very clean and neat. In the centre 
of the hut are three short, upright pillars, formed of hard 
clay, about a foot high, put very close together : the*e 
form a triangle, between which the fire is placed, which 
is seldom extinguished ; and on these their iron pot 
(their only cooking utensil) rests — the smoke, after cir- 
culating freely about the hut, at length finds its way out 
by the door. Some of the more wealthy will have one 
or two boxes or chests, and a low chair, strangely con- 
structed. They sleep on mats, with a block of wood 
for a pillow. These blocks serve for seats, in the day, 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 51 

and the mats are then put up on a sort of rack, made 
under the roof, where, also, they generally have a pile of 
wood stored away. Those of the richer part, too, will 
have a quantity of pitchers, dishes, plates, &c, hung 
round the sides of the hut ; they have a way of boring a 
hole through th 3 plates, &c, without cracking them, and 
then, passing a string through them, they can readily 
hang them up. We went into several huts, and were 
struck by the cleanliness prevailing everywhere, both in- 
side and outside. If there is any litter or rubbish al- 
lowed to accumulate, the woman receives the name of 
a bad housekeeper. The women all expressed pleasure 
at seeing us, coming out of their huts to shake hands, 
and hoping we would come often to visit them. At a 
little distance, their towns resemble a large field of hay- 
ricks. There is a nice little church going up here, of 
which Harris, I believe, is to be the pastor, after he is 
ordained. At present, Mr. Hoffman and Mr. Gibson alter- 
nate in preaching to the natives, wherever they can col- 
lect them. After our return, I went ofF and slept on 
board ship ; Mrs. Ogden persuaded me, she felt so very 
lonely — so, far away from all our friends and loved ones, 
we became very much attached to each other, and we 
w r ere very happy together on board. 

Daily Life. — We came on shore very early this morn- 
ing ; the gentlemen going with Mr. Hoffman to Spring 
Hill, the station at which Paddock resides. Mr. Hoffman 
goes there once a fortnight, to examine and instruct the 
boys, and to preach in the towns. Though the mission- 
ary's work is one of love, yet it is a labor of love. The 



52 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

captain has been very kind to us, in helping us put up our 
bedsteads, and unpacking our furniture, &c. In fact, 
from the commencement of oar voyage, he has shown 
us every kindness and attention in his power. 

When I came home this morning, Mr. Hoffman and 
Mr. Thompson both welcomed me as warmly as if I had 
been an old memter of the family, away for a long time. 
Mr. Hoffman thanked the captain for his care of me, &c, 
as if it was really his charge now to look after us, and 
care for us ; and I believe he feels so. God has given 
us a new home and family circle. In the evening, Mr. 
Hoffman w r ent to preach at Mount Vaughan ; Mr. Thomp- 
son conducted family worship : he appears to be a very 
serious and devout young man. 

Mrs. Ogden comes on shore every day, to give the 
children singing lessons. They are improving very 
much ; and she has promised, while we are away, to 
continue her instructions. I find I love her more each 
day ; it will be hard to say " good-bye" when the vessel 
leaves, but it will be a week or two, first. These part- 
ings are very painful, but so it ever must be. I some- 
times think it would be good for missionaries to be pos- 
sessed of a cool, calm, impassible nature, and then they 
would not suffer so much by the rupturing of these ties ; 
but, so far as I have seen, they are all warm, ardent, 
and endowed with very strong affections — better so, per- 
haps, else they never would gain the love of those poor 
souls whom they seek to win. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA, 53 



CAVALLA. 

The examination of the girls' school is to take place 
to-morrow, at Cavalla, so we started this afternoon for 
that place. Our fellow-passengers did not go with us, 
though the Bishop cordially invited them, as they dare 
not sleep on shore ; so we started, Miss Hogan, Mr. 
Hoffman, and myself, each in a hammock, borne on the 
heads of two men, with two others for each hammock, 
to relieve. Besides these, there was a company of about 
twenty men and boys, carrying loads down for the 
Bishop. Our road lay, for about nine miles, along a 
narrow ledge of sand, thrown up between the ocean and 
a beautiful fresh- water lake. In some places this sand, 
that divides the two waters, would not be more than a 
hundred yards in width ; in others, it would be nearly 
half-a mile. The -sand is very fine, dry, and loose, 
which makes it very hard travelling, as the foot sinks 
into it at each step. The easiest mode of reach- 
ing Cavalla would be by the lake, if there were boats ; 
but there are only the canoes of the natives, and they 
are rather dangerous, and, unless you have a very large 
one, you are sure to get wet — and at this season of the 
year the natives use them fishing. I wish I could give 
a correct description of the scene, as we journeyed along. 



54 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

On the one side the sea rolling in, with a heavy surf, the 
spray dashing high in the air, and forming myriads of 
tiny rainbows ; on the other side of us, the calm, beau- 
tiful lake, varying in width from half to three-quarters 
of a mile ; on the opposite shore the hills forming a 
beautiful background, covered with the most luxuriant 
vegetation, crowned with the loftiest palm-trees. (All 
my preconceived notions of Africa, as a dead, level, 
sandy plain, have completely vanished.) Then imag- 
ine ourselves riding in very uncomfortable but truly 
picturesque style, followed by a number of men, wo- 
men, and children — our train changing occasionally, as 
we passed through or by the different tdwns, one set 
being tired of gazing at us, and making room for others 
to take a peep, and satisfy their curiosity. Hammock 
travelling is decidedly uncomfortable ; we were very 
tired remaining so long in one position. The reception 
we met with on our arrival was such as would have 
warmed the coldest heart, and cheered and revived the 
most home-sick, which we were very far from being. 
The mission-house and church, and school-houses, all 
stand within one enclosure. Here the Bishop has a 
beautiful flower-garden, and in one corner of this, those 
who have laid down their lives here, sweetly " sleep in 
Jesus." The church is a very pretty little building ; it 
is not yet finished, although service is regularly con- 
ducted in it, in the Grebo language. The boys' school- 
house is in course of building, also. The one they at 
present occupy is in very bad condition, and very unsafe. 
The whole of these premises are literally in a grove of 
cocoanut trees, which give a most delightful shade, as 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 55 

well as looking so beautiful, and being so useful. Most 
of them were planted by the hands of the Bishop. A 
great part of the work, in the construction of the church 
and school-house, has been the labors of the Christian 
natives, under the direction of some colonist carpenters, 
masons, &c. Just back of the mission-house is the 
Christian village, on the mission premises. This is a 
collection of houses, built somewhat in American style, 
where the Christian boys who have been educated 
in the school, having married Christian girls, reside. 
They, all of them, have some trade, or means of earning 
a livelihood, and here they live very comfortably. These 
little houses are very clean and neat, with many articles 
of American manufacture in them — tables, chairs, &c, 
&c. May this be the beginning of a mighty city, where 
Christ shall be kinsr. There are five native towns sur- 
rounding the mission premises, the huts coming up to 
the very gates, so the Bishop is directly in the midst of 
his people ; and may the Christianity there exhibited be 
like leaven, " which shall leaven the whole lump." The 
Bishop and Miss "VVilliford look very unwell. 

The house is full of natives, all the while com- 
ing and going. They come in, sit awhile, shake hands, 
and stare at you, or, as they say, " look you," and go 
away again. The doors are never shut till ten at 
night, and they are allowed to come and go as they 
please. The Bishop hopes it may tend to elevate them, 
even to observe our customs and manners. The only 
time you can be sure of being alone is when you are 
eating. Their " country fashion" is never to look at a 
person when eating ; therefore, at that time they always 
leave. 



56 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Lepers. — I have seen a great many lepers in Africa. 
They are most disgusting objects, poor things ! The 
flesh turns white in spots, and then the joints gradually 
rot off. The disease is not as painful as many others. 
At the time a joint drops off the place is sore for a little 
while; that is all. There is one man, who coii.es a 
great deal to the Asylum, who has lost all his fingers and 
toes. He is a pitiable object. This disease is hereditary 
but not infectious. 

Cavalla Examination. — The girls' school was exam- 
ined to-day, and I had no idea that these poor degraded 
natives had such power and capacities, which only need 
developing. They have very powerful memories — their 
proficiency in grammar astonished me. There was one 
little class of four girls that had only been in the school 
about six months, who could read in the Grrebo Testa- 
ment, and spell hard words, and are learning to read in 
English. They have been taught by a native teacher. 
It is almost incredible, but their memories are excel- 
lent. The girls' school-house is a separate building, 
but close by the side of the mission-house. The 
school-house is very nicely fitted up, owing to the kind- 
ness and liberality of friends at home ; and there are 
many nice maps around the walls. It is a very large 
room, and it is used for Sunday evening and week 
evening services. Back of the school-room is a large 
eating room, with two long tables and benches. And 
the matron's little room is here also, so that she may be 
always near the girls. Mrs. Gillet, the assistant teacher 
in the school, is also the matron. She is a native woman, 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 57 

but a most trustworthy, devoted Christian, and has the 
temporal and spiritual interests of the girls at heart. 
Over the school-room is the dormitory. It is divided off 
into a number cf rooms. There is a bedstead in each 
room for the larger girls, but they seldom use it — pre- 
ferring to sleep on the floor with the others. They each 
have a mat and a blanket ; these must be neatly rolled 
up and put away in the daytime. 

Th-3 Feast. — On the day of the girls' examination 
the Bishop generally has a feast prepared, of which all 
the school children, boys and girls, the Christian vil- 
lagers, and head men of the town, and the native 
Christians, are invited to partake. The carpenters with 
their boards had prepared a sort of table, that reached a 
long distance on the grass, under the cocoanut trees. 
We stood on the piazza watching the scene. It was ex- 
ceedingly pleasant, yet very grotesque. On the table 
was a profusion of such things as they like best : rice, 
palm-butter, cassadas, salt beef, some salt fish, plantains, 
cocoanuts and bananas. There were long benches set on 
either side. But it was pleasant to see here the courte- 
ousness and politeness that Christianity bestows ; the 
natives from the town huddled in, men and women, 
each striving who first could obtain a seat. The men 
and women from the Christian village walked quietly up, 
arm in arm (almost the only time I ever saw them do 
that, by the way,) to the table, and the men saw that 
their ladies were seated before themselves, with every 
mark of politeness. The old men from the towns were 
dressed in all sorts of costumes. Some with old coats 

3* 



58 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

with brass buttons, and a black beaver hat ; this last, 
with a bright colored umbrella, is the height of their 
ambition ; if they only have these things they are 
" proper gentlemen." One man 'had a cloth around his 
loins, and over this an old coat of a navy captain, with 
the buttons and epaulettes, and a commodore's hat. He 
did think himself fine, and he strutted about, the envy 
of all beholders. Others had long red, yellow, or blue 
gowns, made like a flannel gown, down to the feet ; some 
with all these colors, in stripes — they could be seen at a 
distance. Many, both men and women, had heavy brass 
armlets and anklets, sometimes as. many as a dozen on 
the arm or leg; these clinking together made a great noise 
as they walked. (Many of the little children, also, wear 
these, in default of any other dress.) The Bishop asked a 
blessing, and then they all fell to, like hungry wolves ; 
probably many of them had tasted nothing before that 
day, as they often have but one meal a day. 

The influence of Christianity has done much to ele- 
vate the heathen in all the towns around. In the towns 
in this vicinity, the Bishop has induced them to plant 
cocoanuts — for though they flourish, they are not indi- 
genous to the soil. The natives are very much attached 
to him — they came from thirty miles around to express 
their commiseration with him on the loss of his wife. 

All are so kind to us, the new comers. If Christian love 
can make earth so happy, what must heaven be, where 
there is no discordant or jarring sound permitted to en- 
ter ? 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 59 

Boys' Examination. — The boys were examined to-day^ 
and presents distributed to the children of both schools. 
The boys' examination, like the girls', was excellent ; 
Miss Ball had brought out a doll, dressed, for each girl — 
many of them had never seen such a thing, and their 
delight was great ; even girls, seventeen, and eighteen, 
were as delighted as the youngest child, and the 
dress of the dolls was a subject of great wonderment. 
The boys' studies were grammar, higher geography, 
philosophy, &c, &c. But in all the schools the Bible, 
and Bible history, are, of course, the principal study. To 
me it is truly an affecting sight, these poor heathen appa- 
rently so ready and willing to hear God's word. Oh ! 
that " great might be the multitude of preachers," they 
welcome us with such warm demonstrations of pleasure ; 
take hold of our hands and clasp them in both of theirs, 
and look so pleased to see us. The Bishop appears to be 
very unwell. I hope he is not going to be seriously ill. 



CO INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 



&\z$Ux liftft. 

RETURN HOME. 

We returned to the Cape to-day, in the same way in 
which we left — in our hammocks. It was very hot 
in the sun. We had intended to leave Cavalla very early 
in the morning, but there is no such thing as hurrying 
the natives — they have no idea of the value of time — so 
we did not get started till after twelve o'clock. Think 
how strong they must be, to carry us, or any other heavy 
burden, for twelve or fourteen miles, and then return the 
same day, without exhibiting any symptoms of fatigue. 

The Bishop appears to have signs of pleurisy, and spit- 
ting blood ; the trials and fatigues he has gone through 
lately have completely exhausted him. They have all 
been advising him to take a voyage down the coast to 
Corisco, with our good captain. He does not doubt but 
that it would greatly benefit him, but fears he will not 
be able to leave. This atmosphere must be very inju- 
rious, for everything that is left unused for two or three 
days becomes coated with mildew. 

On our arrival we found Mrs. O^den srivins: the children 
a singing lesson. She is very kind, and so loveable. 
Mr. Ogden has received a note, by some Kroomen, from 
Mr. Wilson. He is so feeble that the doctor has ordered 
fr vo y a g e ? an d as he had some business for the mission 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 61 

to transact at Corisco, he has concluded to go down 
there in the Ocean Eagle ; so he will come down from 
Monrovia in a little sloop. And if the Bishop goes, too, 
they will have a pleasant little company, as Mr. Wilson 
and he are old friends 

Baptism. — My journey in the heat of the sun did me 
no good, yesterday. I am very feverish to-day. I went 
to church in the morning, but had to rest quietly at 
home this afternoon and evening. The captain has 
taken our friends from the ship down in his boat to Ca- 
valla ; they started very early, so as to be in time for 
church. They much wished to see our mission in 
all its phases. A little babe, the child of George Har- 
ris, our native teacher at Hoffman Station, was baptized 
to-day. Miss Hogan stood as sponsor ; and when, at 
these times, I think of our favored land, and the great 
neglect that oft prevails there, I fancy I hear our Saviour's 
words, " The Queen of the South shall rise up in judg- 
ment against this generation." 

Mr. "Wilson's Arrival. — Very busy making rosettes 
out of pink and white glazed muslin, for the Sunday- 
school anniversary, which is to take place next Satur- 
day. There will be about three hundred children pres- 
ent, from the different schools under Mr. Hoffman's super- 
vision. He wishes rosettes made for all, as they think 
much of even such a trifle. 

This w T ill be a busy week to us ; in fact, we have not 
had a moment to ourselves since our arrival, and though 
we appear to be doing nothing, we' are learning our work. 



62 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Mr. Hoffman is attending: the examination of the school 
at Mount Vaughan, to-day. Where the teachers are na- 
tives, and in fact in all the schools, these semi-annual 
examinations are absolutely necessary, to mark the pro- 
gress, and to be sure that the word of God is made the 
basis oi all that is taught. Mrs. Ogden and the Captain 
insisted that I should go on board with them and spend 
the night, thinking the sea-breeze would refresh me, 
which it did very much. Just after I left, Miss Ball 
arrived, to stay a few days with us, and attend the ex- 
amination of the schools here. As we were rowing 
toward the vessel the Captain pointed out a distant sail. 
" There,'' said he, " that is Mr. Wilson, and after I have 
put you ladies on board I shall go and look after that 
little craft, as I know it must be very comfortless on her, 
and if Mr. Wilson is there, he cannot go on shore to- 
night, so I shall bring him on board with me." He did 
so, and about eight o'clock we were all at tea in the 
cabin. Mr. Wilson was much pleased with the captian's 
attention. He said the accommodations on the little 
sloop were very bad ; he had slept on deck, as it was 
impossible to go below, and he had eaten ham (which 
he had cooked before going on board) and crackers out 
of a wash-bowl — forcing himself to eat, though loathing 
it — pleasant things these for a sick man. But mission- 
aries expect such things, and though they feel them, 
they do not complain. 

Asylum Examination. — The Captain took us on shore 
before prayer time this morning, as the girls at the 
Asylum were to pass their examination to-day. We 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 63 

found Miss Ball quite sick ; she had considerable trouble 
with her bearers, and they detained her a long time on 
the road, in the sun. 

A number of the more respectable part of the colo- 
nists came to observe the improvement in the children. 
At noon we had an intermission for a time, and a lunch 
prepared, of which all present were invited to partake. 
The afternoon I spent like an uneasy spirit, wandering 
about from the school-room to one sick-room or the other. 
Mr. Wilson, Miss Ball, and the Captain, have all high 
fever — the effects of exposure, for the Captain over ex- 
erted himself a day or two ago, working in the sun, con- 
structing a raft of the timber he has to leave here. He 
had to set to work himself to show the others how. It 
is very hard to be strictly prudent here, and yet we 
must be so. 

The Bishop has come to the conclusion that it is ab- 
solutely necessary, and his duty, to take the voyage; so 
we expect him here to-morrow. We have the house full 
constantly. 

The Bishop Arrives. — The boys at Hoffman Station 
were examined to-day. Mr. Hoffman, Miss Hogan, and 
our friends irom the ship went. Mr. Wilson and Miss 
Ball were both very unwell in the night, but, were better 
this morning, and needed a little nursing, so I am taking 
care of them, and trying to do a few stitches toward 
making some banners and flags. The Bishop arrived 
quite late in the evening. I opened some preserved 
peaches I had brought from home ; he said it was the 
first thing he had eaten with a relish for weeks. Any- 
thing from home tastes good here. 



64 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Christmas Eve. — This is Christmas eve, and the 
weather is intensely hot, it is the warmest season of 
the year ; we can scarcely realize it is so cold at home. 
The house full of company again all day. It is no 
small item in a missionary's expenditure, the number 
of guests he has to entertain. But that is one thing 
in which he cannot possibly curtail ; it is one of his 
greatest pleasures, as well as his duty ; and, especially 
with the poorer part of his visitors, he must let them see 
that he has a regard for their bodies, or how will they 
believe in his love for their souls. "What a magnificent 
scene moonlight is in these tropical climes. I have been 
standing, for a time, on the piazza, no sound to break the 
solemn stillness but the ceaseless dash of the waves ; and 
then I thought that on just such a night as this, eighteen 
hundred and fifty odd years ago, the " glad tidings 
of great joy" were announced to man, and I could realize 
the scene as I never had done before ; then looking up, 
the graceful waving of the bng leaves of the cocoanuts 
caught my eye, and these words came into my mind, 
"and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." 
Oh, that multitudes of grateful hearts might everywhere 
respond, " The Lord is come, the Lord is come !" 

Christmas Day. — Christmas day — glorious Christmas. 
Oh, that some dear to me might this day be born into 
the kingdom of God's dear Son ! and that in their hearts 
they might sing, " Glory to God in the highest." How 
sweet it is to think that all over earth's domain, from some 
part, throughout each hour of this day, will ascend that 
noble song from Christian hearts, " Glory to God," and 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 65 

u peace on earth," and man will join with angel choirs 
" to sing redeeming love," and each hour of this day, the 
sacred feast of the " true passover" will be celebrated by- 
some of His faithful followers, of "every nation and kin- 
dred, people and tongue." How much such days bring 
loved absent ones to mind — but we shall soon meet to 
part no more. After writing a few warm greetings to 
those at home, I went out into the breakfast-room and 
found Mr. Wilson writing his loving remembrances to 
his wife and child. Miss Hogan and some of the girls 
went very early to see what they could do in decorating 
the church, but, though the shrubs and plants are green 
all the year round ; we have no evergreens, such as 
those we have at home, therefore, what they did put up 
withered, even before the service was over. 

The service was very long but I enjoyed it much. We 
had adult baptism, confirmation, and the Lord's Supper. 
There were fifteen confirmed, five with the Kroo-mark 
upon them. When laying his hands on the natives the 
Bishop pronounced the prayer " Defend Lord," in 
Grebo. He says the Grrebo has become so familiar to him 
that he can preach in that better than in English. It is 
a joyous sight to see these poor natives gathered in, and 
to feel that there is " One fold and one Shepherd." The 
church was so crowded, that they even had a number 
of benches placed outside the door. We had about 
seventy communicants, about one third of these natives, so 
" mightily grows the Word of Grod, and prevails." Well 
may the cry go forth from here, " Come over and help 
us." " Who will come up to the help of the Lord against 
the mighty ?" Here, in all this region, are but two white 



66 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

" heralds of the cross," and though they are gathering in 
the fruit, and sending it forth to scatter the seed broad- 
cast yet these converts from heathenism need yet 
much training and much oversight in their work. 

We sat down, twelve of us, to dinner at first, and about 
twice as many afterward, teachers and scholars, who 
had come in from distant stations. At half past three 
there was a missionary meeting. They collect here, 
even in this poor little place, where money is so hard to 
be had, about ten dollars a month, to send the Gospel 
further on, to those who are sitting in darkness. May all 
learn that it is indeed " more blessed to give than to 
receive." At seven o'clock we bade a long good-bye zo 
our friends. The captain expects to sail very early in 
the morning. Shall we ever meet again? God only knows. 
Our lives are in His hands, and to Him and His service we 
are^devoted, in life or death. But these partings are sad. 
If we have few friends, few ties here, yet : 

" We love the better those 
Our Heavenly Father sends." 

Escape. — Early this morning we had a great fright. 
We went to view the last traces of our vessel, when 
w T e were startled to see she was not yet gone, but with 
all sails set, she was driving full upon Dead Island, a 
horrid reef of rocks that stretches to our left. "With 
what intense anxiety we watched her, and saw the 
great hurry on deck, but when she appeared close on the 
rocks her anchor was dropped. We then went into break- 
fast. The captain came in in a few minutes, and said, 
that " after weighing anchor the land breeze blew so 



E VERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 67 

strong, he was very much afraid that they would be 
dashed on the rocks ; the vessel would have to lay there 
till the sea-breeze sprung up, which it generally 
does about ten o'clock." He had come on shore to 
attend to a little business he had forgotten the night 
before. About ten o'clock a fine breeze sprung up, and we 
saw the little ship move from her moorings. For half an 
hour we watched with great anxiety till we saw she 
was in safety ; though we had felt that it was almost 
impossible for anything to happen to her ; she had too 
many good people on board, and was freighted with too 
many prayers. But this is a fearfully dangerous coast. 
There is lying here, on the strand, the remains of a 
vessel that, about three months ago, was anchored here, 
and, in broad daylight, the force of the current and the 
wind tore her from her moorings, and she dashed, head 
foremost, on the shore ; nothing could save her, though, 
providentially, no lives were lost. 



68 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



SUNDAY-SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY. 

This is to be the Sunday-school anniversary. The 
different schools are to meet at the church, have some 
exercises there, then come up here and go down on the 
rocks, under the Cape, and have refreshments. Our old 
cook, " Auntie Dade," is busy making some gingerbread, 
and cooking meat and short-cake. The meat has been 
sent to Mr. Hoffman, with considerable plain cake, from 
some of the wealthier of the colonists. This will be a 
great treat to many of the poor children, who scarcely 
ever taste anything but rice and palm butter. We have 
prepared all their rosettes and banners, and Mr. Hoffman 
and Miss Hogan went down to the church with our 
children, while I prepared the refreshments for them on 
the rocks. Miss Ball has gone home to Cavalla. I had 
scarcely completed my arrangements when the children 
appeared. I heard the sound of their voices, singing 
sweetly before I saw them. They came down in perfect 
order over the rocks, over three hundred of them ; it was 
a pleasant sight, and each school quietly took the place 
assigned for it, and then the children seated themselves 
on the rocks, and waited patiently till they were served. 
Though many of these children never saw a bit of cake 



KVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 69 

but once a year, and some of them had never seen it before, 
yet they waited with the greatest patience, each for his 
turn to be served ; there was no pulling, or pushing, or 
snatching, or seeking to get more than their share. No, 
all was done decently and in order. Their behavior 
was a model of propriety. The scene was very pretty ; 
the rocks beautiful and jagged. The surge constant- 
ly rolling and breaking on them (to me the roar of 
the ocean is perfect music), and pouring in through 
the fissures, formed little ponds around, in which, at 
times, you can find some very pretty shells. Then the 
costume of the children was so strange ; there was the 
half-naked little boy, and the young colored lady bediz- 
ened out in her choicest finery, beads, laces, &c, showy 
and gaudy. On the top of the rocks the beautiful 
cocoanuts waved their plumed heads. It was a wild, 
strange, beautiful sight, never to be seen but in such 
a clime. After their refreshments the children sun^ 
very sweetly, and then departed to their homes, some of 
them having five miles to walk. 

Work. — Now w T e shall commence our work — to teach 
the Word. Mr. Hoffman gave notice in Church to-day, 
that a class for adult females, those who cannot read, or 
only very imperfectly, w r ill commence this afternoon at 
the Asylum ; Miss Hogan will take charge of it. On 
Monday we shall have a class for the native women, 
which we shall take charge of alternately (Miss Hogan, 
however, soon took its entire charge), and a Bible 
class will be commenced on Thursday for adult females, 
teachers and others, who may feel the need of more 



70 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

thorough knowledge of sacred Scripture ; of this I am to 
have charge. I attended Sunday-school this afternoon, 
and I find, in doing so, it will be impossible to attend 
evening worship ; the distance being too great. 

Native Class. — After dinner to-day our native women 
came to be taught, but Miss Hogan had forgotten, and 
had let Julia, our interpreter, go out, and one of the 
others only understood a little Grebo, so we could have 
but very little conversation with them. However, for to- 
day, we just let them understand that we wanted them to 
come every Monday, so we might teach them " the 
things of Grod." There were nine of them ; several of 
them the wives of the Christian natives, and very willing 
to learn. As we could not teach them this afternoon, 
we thought we would amuse them. Mr. Hoffman has a 
very large music-box, in perfect order ; and I showed 
them some daguerreotypes, with which they were much 
amused ; but when Miss Hogan brought out the model 
of a railroad-engine, which, by winding up, will run 
about the floor for several minutes, their delight knew 
no bounds. They jumped, clapped their hands, laughed, 
sat on the floor, and performed the most grotesque 
antics ; but when it would move towards them, would 
scream, jump on the chairs, and appear greatly fright- 
ened. They say, " white man can do everything but 
put the breath into a dead body." Afterwards, we 
had a teachers' meeting ; the teachers, or some of them, 
from three different schools, were present. Mr. Hoffman 
wants to give a number of gowns to some of the old 
native men on New Year's Day, so, in the evening, I 
was busy trying to make one. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 7- 

Old M'Lede. — My poor little boy, Dayo, is gone 
away to-day ; I quite miss him. For several days I 
have noticed a sore place on his head, and thought it 
was occasioned by a wound, but Mr. Hoffman told me 
that it was a disease perfectly unpronounceable to 
me, and that he thought he had better go home 
to get cured, as he did not know what to do for 
it, and his friends probably did ; they cure it with some 
herb. This morning his father came in, quite unex- 
pectedly, and he said he must take him home for two or 
three weeks, and as soon as he was well, he would bring 
him back. Poor child ! he came running to me in great 
distress, and, by gesture and speech, tried to make me 
understand that he could not leave me. We all thought, 
however, he had better go for a little while, and so he 
was taken off in great trouble. I really have become 
quite attached to him. On the day of the examination 
of the school here, I noticed a native woman with a 
darling little child, (yes ! though black, a little darling), 
perfect in form, about three years old — it was her little 
grandchild. I could not help noticing both the old 
woman and child. Upon inquiring of Mr. Hoffman who 
they were, " That," said he, " is M'Lede ; remind me, 
and I will tell you about her." 1 forgot it, till yesterday, 
when she came to be taught among the other women. 
I asked her, " Where is your little one ?" She said, 
" Me left home." I told her when she came again, she 
must bring her with her, as I loved her. She said, 
" Her mother, my daughter, be stranger here, (that is, 
she is on a visit here), but she go away next day (to- 
morrow) home in the bush, and she take Boah with her, 



72 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

but me bring her see you first time" — (before she goes.) 
I told her to do so; so, to-day, the old grandmother, the 
mother and the little one came to see me. Old M'Lede 
is apparently a true Christian. Mrs. Scott has written a 
pretty little history of her, which is published — she was 
a demon woman, or devil doctress, but she has cast all 
aside for Christ. Truly, " the "Word of God is mighty 
to the pulling down the strongholds of sin and Satan." 
I asked the mother, when the child was old enough, 
would she send her to school. " Oh, yes! Oh, yes !" 
(they are very ready in promising, whatever the perform- 
ing may be) " so soon she be big enough, I send her 
you way from the bush — you teach her 'bout Nyesoa" 
(God.) I then brought her a little doll, but it frightened 
the child, so I gave her some beads instead. A little 
act of kindness finds its way here, as elsewhere, to the 
heart, Mr. Hoffman and Miss Hogan are gone out to the 
service at Mount Yaughan. I did not go, for, though 
feeling otherwise very well, I have a great aching in my 
limbs ; they say it is Africa striking me. A number of 
the girls are away, spending the holidays with their 
friends. Mr. Thompson also being away, I had to conduct 
evening worship. 

Father Scotland. — We are anxiously looking for let- 
ters now from home. The first thing I do each morn- 
ing is to look out and see if there are any vessels in sight. 
The Stevens is daily expected from Baltimore. I have 
just received a very kind note from Miss Williford, wish- 
ing much I would spend a week with them at Cavalla, 
before school commences ; but I have been obliged to de- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 73 

cline, for I have so many things yet to do, I feel as if I 
cannot spare the time. There is so much writing to be 
done here, as no verbal message can be sent, you almost 
require to sit with pen in hand. Mr. Hoffman has gone to 
Cavalla, to stay all night. He intends to do so once a 
week during the Bishop's absence. Mr. Toomy # wrote 
me a very pretty little note, accompanying some shells 
he had picked up for me. This afternoon I went to see 
Mr. Scotland, an aged dying Christian. He sent me 
word yesterday he would like to see me. He is in an old 
dilapidated shanty ; the furniture consists of a few 
boards, knocked together, elevated about a foot from the 
floor, to serve as a bedstead (the straw bed we made 
for him on our first arrival) ; a little bench, on which is 
placed two Bibles, and an earthen jar for water. He is 
dependent for food and care on his neighbors, as he is 
perfectly helpless. How much we need a hospital here ! 
It is one of the things for which Mr. Hoffman labors and 
prays. A woman who was near brought me a little stool, 
and I sat down beside him. He was perfectly delighted 
to see me; told me " that he had served the Lord for 
forty years ; he had been a Methodist preacher for many 
years ; he had often preached three times a day, though 
he could never read a word ; he would get some boy to 
read to him several chapters in the Bible, till he got hold 
of just the text that would suit him." I was very much 
surprised at his familiarity with the Word of G-od. He 
could tell me where to find almost any passage. I could 
not but look at that poor old man, with his few privi- 

* His little history is written elsewhere. 

4 



74 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



leges, and think of our own more favored country, and 
those words: " They shall come from the east and the 
west, and sit down in the kingdom of Grod ; and ye shall 
be cast out." And as I looked at him, in his want and 
penury, and witnessed his happiness and his implicit 
faith, and saw how near home he was, I felt he was 
really to be envied. Who can doubt the power of Di- 
vine grace ? I read to him and talked with him on the 
glories of the resurrection, and the mansions our Saviour 
has prepared for those who love Him ; and then left him, 
with the promise of soon seeing him again. He is al- 
most blind now. He begged me not to forget him in my 
prayers. He is dying of old age. No one knows how 
old he is. 

New- Year's Eve. — The last day of the year ! Very 
probably, ere another year closes, -I shall have done with 
time and shall have begun eternity.. " Lord, teach me so 
to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto 
wisdom." "What a time for self-examination and prayer 
should the close of the year be ! In the eyes of the world 
we may appear to be better and more devoted Christians 
than we ever were before; but " G-od seeth not as man 
seeth," and in His sight we may be far less acceptable. 
" Search us, oh Grod ! and our thoughts, and see if there 
be any way of wickedness in us, and lead us in the way 
everlasting." Mr. Hoffman brought me such a kind little 
note from Cavalla. What would this earth be without 
love ? A dreary waste. I have finished my gowns for 
the old men. My Bible class was to commence to-day, 
but being holiday time, all the ladies were so much en- 
gaged, it has to be deferred till next week. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. ?5 



New- Year's Day. — New- Year's day ! Very, very 
hot. How constantly the subject of death is in the mind 
here. This year may I live each day as though it would 
be my last, and daily may I go humbly to the throne of 
grace, saying, " Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ?" 
and then, " whatsoever my hand findeth to do, may I do 
it with all my might." I have dedicated myself wholly, 
" body, soul, and spirit," to my Saviour's service. Oh ! 
that He would receive, accept me, love me freely, and 
"seal me to the day of redemption ;" and, if it please 
Him, that here He would give me souls for my hire, use 
me for His glory on earth, and afterwards receive me 
into the mansions prepared above. 

I have Jpeen writing home. We must get our letters 
prepared, even though they may have to wait months 
before we can send them, as there is no knowing any 
day when a vessel may stop on her way home. 

We had a very pleasant service in church this morn- 
ing, and a very good congregation. Both Mr. Hoffman 
and Mr. Gibson gave us a short address. 

We always put away our work, and retire to our 
rooms at ten o'clock. After that, is the only time when 
we can really have a few minutes of undisturbed quiet, 
for writing letters, journals, &c, &c. It is not a very 
good time for our own health, but it is almost the only 
time. I have often heard the remark made, that it is 
a wonder missionaries do not write more interesting ac- 
counts and letters ; but people would wonder no longer, 
if they could see the wearied state, both of body and 
mind, in which they are when they do sit down to write. 
There is a constant care, and anxiety for immortal souls, 



76 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

impressed more deeply by the conviction that your time 
may be so short. I often look at Mr. Hoffman, and think 
of the words of the apostle, in summing up his labors : 
" That which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the 
churches." In the Bishop's absence, of course, his cares 
are much increased. 

Fever. — I have put the finishing stroke to my room 
to-day — covering my big trunk to form a settee. My 
new matting, and clean white curtains and cloths, make 
all look so neat and nice. It is. a great comfort to 
have a pleasant room, either in sickness or health. I 
have had a chill, and. an intense aching in my limbs, 
to-day. I am glad my room is all right, for^f think it 
will not be long before I get the fever. They say it is 
best to have it soon after arrival here. Mr. Toomy 
has been spending the evening here. I like him very 
much. 

My anticipations were realized. The day after writ- 
ing the above, though feeling very badly, I went to 
church, but became so much worse that it was with dif- 
ficulty I reached home. A. doctor and nurse were im- 
mediately sent for. At the end of the sixth day my fe- 
ver was broken, and I was pronounced convalescent. 

I found the Saviour true to His promise : "I will be 
with thee." I had always had an intense horror of 
death, so much so that I often wondered I should have 
courage to come to such a clime ; and once, some time 
ago, I had spoken to my dear paster on the subject, fear- 
ing I could not be a Christian ; but he had kindlv en- 
oouraged me, telling me " That I must not expect 



EVERY-DAY LIEE IN AFRICA. 77 

dying grace in my hours of health and strength ; that 
dying grace was for dying hours ; and that the promise 
is, " As thy day, so shall thy strength be." And I found 
it so; for " He is faithful that promised." I had no 
fear ; I was perfectly resigned to His will, and was in a 
very happy frame of mind. The last night, however, be- 
fore my fever broke, was a sore one to me. My dis- 
ease was at its height ; I could not sleep. I was not 
exactly delirious, but I had no control over my thoughts. 
I was in a sort of waking nightmare. I knew I was 
very ill, and that my thoughts ought to dwell on the 
love, the precious atoning love, of the Redeemer : His 
blood shed for me, my own utter worthlessness, and the 
joys He had purchased for me ; and yet, instead of 
these, the worst thoughts were occupying my mind — the 
most strange and wicked imaginations ; such things as 
I had never before conceived possible, were floating be- 
fore my brain. Every little while I would be recalled to 
myself; and as I would be conscious of the greatness of 
my iniquity, I would utter a deep groan. My nurse 
would come to ask what she should do for me. For an 
instant I would be aroused, in terror, lest I had given 
utterance to my sinful thoughts; but in a moment I 
was off again. It was a fearful night ; I shall never 
forget it. Towards morning, rousing for a few min- 
utes, it suddenly struck me that it must be Satan who 
was putting these blasphemous ideas into my mind, 
to draw me away from Grod ; and then, as if in a pic- 
ture, came up before me the scene in the " Pilgrim's 
Progress " (which I had not read since I was a child), of 
Christian in the " Valley of the Shadow of Death," 



78 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 

after his fight with Apollyon. Here evil spirits, which 
he could not see, were whispering to him blasphe- 
mous thoughts ; and it gave him much trouble, as he 
imagined these suggestions of the evil ones proceeded from 
his own heart ; but at length he vanquished them with 
his weapon, All-prayer, and soon he was out of the val- 
ley. This was all pictured so clearly to my view, I 
thought, perhaps, it was the same with me. Immediately, 
I commenced praying so earnestly to my Saviour, that if 
these things proceeded from my own heart, He would 
" cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of 
His Holy Spirit ;" and if they were the suggestions of 
the evil one, that He would conquer the powers of dark- 
ness, and bid them depart. Whilst I was still praying, a 
deep, sweet sleep fell upon me, from which I did not 
arouse till late in the morning, when my fever had left 
me, and danger was considered past. Surely He is a 
hearer of prayer ; He not only rebuked the evil one, but 
the disease also. A week from that time I was able to 
sit up, and receive letters from home. Letters ! none 
but those who are far from home, and loved ones, in a 
heathen land, can ever know their value. During my 
illness, Miss Ball came up and remained a few days with 
mc, and I had every care and attention. How much 
have I to be thankful for ! Mr. Thompson had to com- 
mence with the school, as I was yet too weak. 

The Wills. — We have a little light-colored boy board- 
ing with us. I employ myself an hour every evening 
in helping him with his lessons. Matthew is one of 
five children ; all very light, pretty, and well-behaved. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 79 

Their mistress sent them out here, with their father and 
mother, about three years ago. Their parents both died 
within a few weeks of their landing. The children are 
maintained by their mistress. She wishes them brought 
up as ladies and gentlemen. The little girls come to the 
Asylum to day-school, but she pays their board else- 
where. She did not wish them to do the housework that 
the girls do here ; and, of course, as they were here, no 
difference could be made between them and the other 
children. I do not think it is wise to give them such 
high notions ; it would not hurt girls to know how to do 
a little housework anywhere, but particularly in a new 
country, where the industry of its inhabitants must be 
its wealth. The other boys board elsewhere, but go with 
Matthew to the high school. Their mistress dresses them 
not merely nicely, but elegantly. Matthew takes his 
meals with us, and is quite a little gentleman. Mrs. 
Thomson, a colored lady, took tea with us to-night. They 
call her the " Mother of the Mission." She came out 
here and commenced a little school twenty-six years 
ago, and she has labored faithfully ever since. Hers is 
an infant school. I wish she had the apparatus for it. 



80 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



GlmUt ^ttotntft 



SCHOOL. 



Kind invitations from Cavalla again. They think a 
little change will be beneficial after the fever, and they 
say I must not think of going into school yet for two or 
three weeks. But I think a journey down there will try 
my strength much more than school. I mean to begin, 
for an hour or two, to-morrow, so I must decline the in- 
vitation. Neither of the ladies are well. If they should 
become worse, then I should look upon it as my duty to 
go there. Miss Ball has considerable fever. We un- 
packed a box of presents sent out for the girls — books, 
dresses, &c. ; very acceptable. Many, many thanks, to 
the kind friends who sent them. 

I am going to have sewing-school for the girls (there 
are twenty-six) three times a week, in the afternoon. I 
commenced to-day. My eyes trouble me very much ; I 
believe it is always one of the effects of the fever. 

They are better at Cavalla, to-day ; Mr. Hoffman has 
gone there to superintend affairs. Mrs. Scott, who 
was formerly a missionary here, has sent the girls a 
present of a dress each, and I mean that they shall 
make them themselves, the elder helping the younger. 
It is a little trouble, however, cutting and basting for so 
many. After sewing-school, my Bible class commenced ; 






EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA, 81 

I had fourteen present. May I be taught of God, so as 
rightly to teach others. I find I must " go softly ;" I 
have not regained my strength yet. 

Good news ! Miss Ball's attack of fever was very 
short ; she is up to-day. I have been looking over the 
girls' books with Mr. S. Thompson, as I expect on Mon- 
day to relieve him of his charge. I went down on the 
rocks and picked up a few shells, but was very much 
tired ; one is always weary here. 

Up in the store-room, looking for school-books. We 
have been marking a set of new shirts and cloths for the 
boys at Hoffman Station ; and I have been teaching 
Julia to darn stockings. She is a good girl ; she is de- 
sirous of improving, so she may become a teacher. 

I have begun my regular school duties to-day. Mon- 
day being washing-day, ten of the elder girls remain out 
of school to do the washing ; they wash everything for 
their own use, bedding, table-cloths, &e. I remained in 
school till half-past one ; at half-past two we dine. I 
had the elder girls in the school-room for an hour, 
for an arithmetic class, then to the store-room to sort 
books, and arrange lessons. We had a very heavy 
thunder-storm ; it was truly grand. By half-past six it 
is quite dark, we then have prayers ; and by the time 
tea is over, it is eight o'clock — then, with helping Mat, 
and a little sewing or reading, the day is gone. 

All my girls in school to-day ; they seem to be very 
obedient, good girls. M r . Hoffman invited me to go to 
Mount Vaughan with him this evening, but I thought I 
had better wait another week, before incurring the fa- 
tigue. An English and American vessel have both been 

4* 



82 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

at anchor here for two or three days ; it is pleasant to 
see them ; we hope to send letters home by the Ameri- 
can. 

One of the ladies of my Bible-class came to-day to ask 
me to trim her bonnet for her. I was very busy, but still 
I feel that it is by little acts of kindness we must win 
them to us. 

A very bad headache to-day ; in school till four 
o'clock, then to my Bible class ; it has now increased to 
eighteen. Kind little notes from Cavalla, but did not 
have time to answer them. Mr. Hoffman has a prayer- 
meeting at Mount Vaughan to-day. 

We have a prayer-meeting at the Cape every Friday 
afternoon. The mornings here are sometimes very 
damp and cool, even in the hottest part of the year. A 
little flannel sack is very comfortable. 

Saturday. — How can I tell the multiplied and multi- 
farious occupations here on Saturday. In the first 
place, it is the great day for the natives to come in to 
trade^ — that is, to sell rice, chickens, cassaclas, palm- 
nuts, &c. ; and they must be paid with tin cups, to- 
bacco, pipes, or cloths — this is the small change ; tin 
pans, wash-bowl?, &c, being the larger coin. Then the 
teachers from the stations, the workmen about the 
buildings, the poor pensioners on the mission, come to 
purchase, to beg, to settle accounts, &c. It is a perfect 
levee all day. None of these occupations belong to me, 
but there is often a little to do in helping others, talking 
to those who come, and such like. I received and 
answered two little notes from Cavalla. Miss Ball 






EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 83 

is well enough to go in school again. Helped to prepare 
and mark more cloths and shirts for the boys of Harris's 
station. After dinner, Mr. Hoffman started for Cavalla ; 
he will stay there over Sunday ; when he goes, he 
always stops and preaches at one or two of the towns on 
his way. In the afternoon, Lavinia came up to me : 
she is a young woman I have promised to assist to read 
and write ; she can only come to me on Saturday after- 
noon. After she w 7 as gone, I was taking a turn or two 
on the piazza before dusk, watching a vessel coming in, 
which we supposed a man-of-war, when I was very 
much startled by hearing my mother's voice calling me ; 
it sounded as plain as I ever heard it. How powerful is 
imagination ! The young men here have a Saturday 
evening prayer-meeting — Mr. Thompson leads. To-night 
they have been forming a young man's Christian asso- 
ciation, on the plan of that in America. Each young 
man, a member of the Church, promises to devote what- 
ever spare time he can afford to purposes of benevo- 
lence — visiting the sick, the afflicted, and the heathen, 
not leaving it all to their pastor, but each one striving 
what he can do for the promotion of God's glory, and the 
good of mankind. They are each to give in a monthly 
report of their labors. Sixteen have joined to-night; 
may they be blessed in their efforts, and not grow weary 
in well-doing. 

The Yincennes. — We had a very heavy thunder- 
storm last night. The ground is very damp, so they 
would not allow us to go to church, as it is very bad to 
get wet here. The vessel we saw last night is the 



84 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



American frigate Vincennes. Several of the officers 
came on shore, and having packages for the Bishop and 
Mr. Hoffman, they came up to the Asylum, but without 
any idea that there were any ladies at the mission ; 
they, however, seemed much pleased, and four of them 
remained, as it was just dinner-time. They had 
been strolling about all the morning, trying, some of 
them, to purchase fruit, vegetables, &c, and were very 
much surprised upon being told, even in the heathen 
towns, that, it being Sunday, they could obtain none ; if 
they would wait till to-morrow morning, they would 
have plenty ; tliis they could not do, as the ship sailed 
at four o'clock. They appeared quite astonished at the 
decency and respect for the Sabbath everywhere observ- 
able, and at the accounts of the good work going on 
among the natives. The doctor had gone to church, 
and was much pleased with Mr. Gibson's sermon. We 
wished it had been any day but Sunday, as then they 
could have visited the schools, and themselves seen the 
work that was going on ; but I think they saw enough 
to prove to them that the Gospel is doing a mighty 
work. It is not pleasant to have company on Sun- 
days, but we must follow the Apostle's injunction, " Be 
careful to entertain strangers ;" and we must only try 
that our words and acts are becoming the sacredness of 
the day. We were sorry Mr. Hoffman was not at home, 
as he could have given them much more information re- 
garding the work here than we could. 






Witchcraft. — Letters from home to-day — such a 
treat! all well, thank God. Mr. Hoffman has returned, 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 85 

and told us of a scene which has taken place at Cavalla ; 
it was a trial by the gidu or sassa-wood ordeal. But 
first I must remind vou of the custom with regard to 
sassa-w T ood among the natives. I shall say as little of 
this, and other similar customs among the natives, as 
possible, as Mrs. Scott has recently published a very in- 
teresting work, called " Day-Dawn in Africa," which 
gives a very full account ; therefore, mine would only 
be a repetition, and might even to some appear to be a 
plagiarism. When any one dies, unless it is a very aged 
person or young infant, the death is always attributed 
to witchcraft, it being believed that every one possesses 
the power of witchcraft, if he or she only choose to ex- 
ercise it. Therefore, most frequently, on the death of 
an individual, some person is accused of the deed — often- 
times the nearest friend of the deceased, as father, w r ife, 
or child. The accused person is immediately seized, and 
compelled to pass through the sassa ordeal, unless they 
can make good their escape to a neighboring town, 
where, as in a " city of refuge," they cannot be touched. 
But the odium of being a witch is so great, that they 
very frequently return, and, in the presence of a few- 
friends, take the poison. This poison is a decoction made 
from the bark of the gidu-tree. The bark is pounded in 
a mortar, and from two to three quarts of water poured 
upon it, the whole of which the wretched victim is com- 
pelled to swallow. Its properties are narcotic ; and, 
without being aware of it, the executioners go the right 
way to prevent its taking effect ; for the moment it is 
swallowed, they seize the victim, not allowing him to 
rest a moment, but drag him from place to place, till 



88 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

he either falls dead, or his stomach rejects it, and he 
vomits freely. In the latter case he (or she) has a grand 
triumph ; dressed up in all the finery they can collect, 
they go ahout to all their friends, generally followed by 
a train of their dearest friends, singing and dancing ; 
and at every house they go to they expect some present. 
But if the person dies, the body is dragged on the beach, 
where it lies in the sun till the family can provide a bul- 
lock, which, after being devoted to the Kwi, is killed and 
divided among all the people in town, all rejoicing and 
exulting that " the witch is dead," his death being a 
sure sign of his guilt. Formerly it was not allowed for 
his nearest relations to mourn at all ; but now that is 
permitted, though they are looked upon with contempt 
for so doing, it being asserted that they ought to rejoice 
that " a witch is dead." The body is then taken up, 
and thrown somewhere in the bush along the shore. It 
is not permitted to be buried in the common burial 
place. It is a very singular fact, that on the administra- 
tion of the gidu is the only time when God, or Nye- 
soa, is invoked. At that time, the one who administers 
the dose, holding the bowl in his hand, looks towards the 
east, and calls upon God to assert the guilt, or vin- 
dicate the innocence, of the accused, by the effects of 
the poison. The victim takes the bowl, and does the 
same. 

This is often used as a means of personal private 
revenge, as any one may accuse another of witchcraft. 
Therefore, they live in hourly fear ; no one is safe. Now 
for Mr. Hoffman's story. On Saturday, at the Christian 
village at Cavalla, a native Christian, who had taken a 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 87 

heavy cold on a recent expedition up the river, died of 
hasty consumption. His friends in the town instantly 
accused a fine looking man, whom I have frequently seen 
here (who speaks English very well), of being the witch. 
They caught him Saturday night and made him take 
the sassa ; but he recovered. On Sunday afternoon 
Mr. Hoffman was standing on the piazza when he saw a 
great crowd on the beach, and perceived that there was 
a " palaver" of some sort. He immediately went down 
to see. There, in the centre of the crowd, sat a man and 
woman, no relations, but both accused of having prac- 
tised witchcraft on the deceased. They were firmly 
guarded. The man sat with his head hanging down, in 
an attitude of great despondency. The other, a fine, 
noble looking woman, sat in perfect composure, as if 
determined to brave it out ; though there was an old 
woman, apparently her mother, sitting by her in great 
distress, every few minutes giving vent to her anguish 
in loud screams, flinging her arms around her daughter, 
crying and sobbing, and, by word and gesture, imploring 
compassion for her daughter. The young woman, with 
her hand, would try to still her mother and gently put her 
away from her ; though, it was evident, a great struggle 
was going on within. Immediately in front of them a 
man had just set down a pestle and mortar, another had 
a huge piece of the sassa bark, that he was beginning 
to break into the mortar, while two boys were bringing 
large jars of water from a neighboring stream. In these 
cases the missionary never dares to interfere, otherwise 
than by persuasion ; " it is their country fash," and they 
believe it to be right. As Mr. Hoffman passed in among 



88 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

the crowd, a little girl, one of the best scholars at the 
school at Cavalla, caught hold of him ; she was crying 
most bitterly. Mr Hoffman asked her, u What was the 
matter that she was in such distress ?" She said : " It is 
my brother's wife they are going to kill, and I love her 
so much. Mr. Hoffman began to talk to them on the 
wickedness and folly of their proceedings, they listened 
to him quietly, but still went on with their preparations ; 
when suddenly a detachment of young men from the 
Christian village appeared, headed by Kade, the son of 
the former king, now a Christian and a great spokes- 
man. They, with Mr. Hoffman, represented to the peo- 
ple that as the deceased was a Christian, and died in 
the Christian faith, they had no right to accuse any one 
of causing his death, and at length, by their arguments, 
they succeeded in obtaining the release of the accused 
and carrying them off in triumph. 

The Dinner Table. — The headman of one of our 
towns dined here to-day with us. Each town has a 
headman or petty chief; they are subordinate to a king 
who rules over a number of them conjoined. Mr. 
Hoffman said there were few he could *ask, but this 
one could behave himself decently at table. He speaks 
English tolerably. One of his sons is, apparently, an 
earnest, devoted Christian. The old man is a very 
tall, large man, with grey hair and beard. He had 
on one of the long gowns I had made, a red flannel cap, 
with a black tassel, and a black beaver hat, and truly 
he was " a proper gentleman." At dinner he sat 
with his chair so far from the table that he could 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 89 

hardly reach. He used his knife and fork, and spoon, a 
great deal better than I had supposed. He would 
strike his fork into a sweet potato, and bite oft' all around 
it. "When we had nearly dined, Mr. Hoffman passed him 
some bread. He said : " No, me no take, me be full ;" a 
minute after we had some toasted cheese, molasses, &c, 
brought in ; he immediately took some, eating the cheese 
and molasses together, which he appeared very much 
to enjoy ; amusing us very much by his ineffectual 
efforts to say cheese ; the nearest approach he could make 
was " keese." 

Correction. — To-day I had to perform the feat (a 
great one for me) of whipping one of the children. I did 
not think I could ever do such a thing, "but she well 
deserved it, and I found nothing else would do. I want 
to attach the idea of shame and disgrace to a whipping, 
so as to inflict it only in extreme cases when all other 
measures had been resorted to in vain. I cannot bear 
punishment, when it can possibly be avoided ; but, I 
think, when it is done it should be thorough. I suffered 
a great deal more than the child, for I had a nervous 
chill after it. Mr. Hoffman is quite unwell, he has had 
to send for the doctor this evening ; it is an attack of 
intermittent, so we have it each in turn. 

My Bible class increases — two fresh scholars. What 
a rich mine the Bible is ; the more it is worked the more 
treasures we find. 

Our old gardener, an old man of sixty, was married 
to-day. He was very much disappointed that Mr. Hoff- 
man was too unwell to perform the ceremony. 



90 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Liberian Uniform. — Mr. Hoffman is very sick to-day. 
It has been the general parade of the Liberian Militia. 
The French, some time ago, sent the Republic a present 
of a thousand suits as a uniform. It consists of a sort of 
tight jacket or vest ; very full red Turkish trowsers that 
come about to the calf of the leg, where they are met by 
leather leggins ; a very wide blue sash, tied at the side ; 
and a red cap with black tassel. All the suit was made 
of flannel. They looked very much like the pictures we see 
of Algerines. This afternoon went to see Father Scot- 
land. He is in a most miserable but happy condition. I 
then went to see another poor man, whom they call Red 
Jackson. He is as white as a Portugese, and has dark, 
sandy-colored hair. He was a hard-working, industrious 
man, and he was breaking rocks, when a piece of " poi- 
son rock," as he calls it, struck his leg, and for two 
years he has had a dreadful leg, so much ulcerated and 
swollen. 

How much we do need a hospital. There is a little 
house close to the Asylum that is to be let for a very 
low rent. Mr. Hoffman is thinking of putting the old 
gardener in this house and removing old Father Scotland, 
if he can, up here, so that he may be a little better taken 
care of, and he hopes it may be the beginning of a hos- 
pital. I do not think that near so many immigrants 
would die of the fever, when they first come out here, if 
they had better care and attendance. 

The Children. — Oh ! how much money is wanted here. 
I pity the poor colonists so much — there is very little 
doing here ; I do not know how any of them contrive 



E VERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 91 

to get a living ; it is true they live mostly on rice, but the 
difficulty is for them to obtain a bit of clothes or furni- 
ture. But we must hope " there is a good time coming" 
for Liberia. As her inhabitants become educated, en- 
terprise and national ambition will soon follow, and then 
the natural resources of the country will be developed. 
The missionaries here do all they can, for both the tempo- 
ral and spiritual needs of the people ; but the field is vast 
and the laborers are few. 

Dayo's father came to see me to-day. He was, or 
seemed to be, perfectly delighted to see me well again ; 
he took both of my hands in his, and shook them warmly. 
He said, " Dayo cry every day to come back to mammy." 
He calls me mammy ; it is with them a title of respect, 
like mistress. I told him he could come home if his 
head was quite well. He said it was, and then went on 
to say, " Mammy teach Dayo American fashion, no 
country (none of our country) fashion ; you teach him 
things of (rod — make him be Grod-man" (he meant 
Christian), and he, himself, is a heathen. Surely G-od 
has put it into his heart to wish his child to be a Chris- 
tian. As to little Wah, the deaf and dumb boy, there 
is no such thing as keeping him. He will be here 
for a week, perhaps, and will be kept clean and neat, 
then he will start off to his mother or somewhere else. 
Everybody knows him and is kind to him ; his mother 
rarely knows where he is ; perhaps he will not be back 
here again for two or three weeks, and then he will come 
so dirty, having worn the same shirt and cloth all the time 
he has been gone. He is such an interesting little 
fellow — so bright and sharp, and so imitative. He has 



92 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

learned the alphabet on his fingers, and one can readily 
make him understand what one wants. He is very 
affectionate. I have undertaken, also, the entire 
charge of another little one. George Harris, our native 
teacher, across the river at Hoffman Station, has a little 
one named Virginia, after the late Mrs. Hoffman (whose 
memory is held very precious), she is about three years 
and a half old. He very much wishes her to be brought 
up in American customs and habits— not to learn the 
ways of the little heathen children among whom he 
lives. So Mr. Hoffman very kindly offered to give her her 
board here if I would undertake the charge of her, 
which I willingly consented to do, as I love children very 
dearly. So my family is growing — I have already a 
little boy and girl. May they be children of God. I 
feel that it is a fearful responsibility. 

Communion Sunday. — Neither Mr. Hoffman nor Miss 
Hogan was well enough to go to church. I was the only 
white person in God's house, or at God's table. How 
much I thought of home to-day. About dusk a band of 
my litlle ones came up to my room for me to talk to them, 
Sunday evenings I have all the children who do not go 
to church, in the school-room, and read and talk to them 
for an hour or so. 

Our Household. — Mrs. Harris brought over little 
Virginia to-day. She feels badly at parting with the 
child. Julia is to wash and dress her for me, and 
have her to sleep with her. I shall teach her to call 
Julia aunt. And I have now assumed the responsibility 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 93 

of taking charge of and educating her. Mr. Hoffman is 
better ; he is out of his room and with us again. I must 
tell you how our household is employed : Mr. Hoffman's 
cares, charges and duties are so numerous and varied 
that they baffle my powers of description. Miss Hogan 
attends to the house-keeping, gives orders to the girls 
about their various duties, &c, when they are not with 
me (for, besides the washing and ironing for them- 
selves, they keep the school-room, and all their own 
premises, clean and neat) ; she sees to the clothes 
which they wear, &c, and I look after the sewing. She 
attends to the purchases (no small item), keeps the ac- 
counts of the Asylum, cuts out, and sees that the 
clothes for the boys at Hoffman and Spring Hill stations 
are kept in good order; attends to the giving out of books, 
&c, for the different boys' schools in the vicinity ; be- 
sides, she attends to all the visiting that has to be done ; 
as I am not strong enough to walk but very little, she 
must do that, (a very important part of mission work for 
both.) When I have not strength to go over to visit the 
heathen towns, she does. My own duties I have related. 
Then we have twenty-six girls of all ages, from seventeen 
down to five. I have told you their employments. Mr. 
J. Thompson boards with us. He is studying for the min- 
istry, and helps Mr. Hoffman with his accounts, which are 
very troublesome and voluminous, every tin cup or pipe 
having to be set down. The accounts h§re have to be 
kept for eight or ten different stations, and the Bishop, or in 
his absence, Miss Williford, has as many, or more, to 
see after at Cavalla. It is a very laborious work. The 
missionary's life is one of labor, but he is well assured 
that " a rest remaineth," and he always feels " It is 



94 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

better to wear out than to rust out." Then Mr. Thomp- 
son preaches and teaches at the different towns, two or 
three times a week. He is perfectly familiar with the 
G-rebo language. He holds prayer meetings. Then comes 
Matthew, I have already told you who he is. Then there 
is Mrs. Andrews, she is general housemaid for our part of 
the building ; she was house-keeper before our arrival. 
She is a widow, her husband was killed in the late war 
between the colonists and the natives. Her children, 
a little boy and girl, live here at Mr. Hoffman's expense. 
People at home, when they pay a missionary's salary, 
have little idea how many are supported out of it. 
Then there is old Aunty Dade, our cook, who does the 
cooking for all the establishment, and is " dimensibly" 
tormented by them natives, who are always hanging 
about her kitchen, and will wait patiently for hours in 
the chance of obtaining a mouthful. Then comes Eliza ; 
she used to be a scholar in the Asylum, but now is a 
sort of matron, and helps in the sewing, under Miss 
Hogan's supervision. Then there is old Mr. Smith, the 
gardener, and he takes care of Mr. Hoffman's horso. 
Virginia, Dayo, and Wall (when he is here), bring up the 
rear. So you see our family. May they all be one 
family in the household above. 

Food. — Only two months to-day, since our landing 
here. I can hardly realize it, so much has happened ; 
and we are now as much at home in our regular duties, 
as if we had been here a year. My little Virginia ap- 
pears to be very docile and tractable, but very timid. 
Mrs. Andrews came to me to-day, very earnestly praying 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 95 

me to take her little girl ; she would give her up to me 
entirely ; if I would only take her, she would be so 
thankful. I told her I could not, I had quite enough on 
my hands. I do feel very thankful to succeed in gaining 
the love of the people here. May my every effort be to 
promote their good. My health now is very good ; I 
have an excellent appetite. The girls' dining-room is 
under the school-room — a nice large room, paved with 
brick, with closets at either end for the dishes. I 
will give you their bill of fare. For breakfast, rice 
and salt fish. For dinner : rice, fresh fish, (if to be had), 
if not, salt beef or pork, with (sometimes) cassadas 
or sweet potatoes — occasionally, chickens or palm-butter. 
At tea, rice and molasses. On Sunday evening, bread. 
Palm-butter is a very wrong name ; it gives an incorrect 
idea of this article of food. The palm-nut, as it is 
called, has a hard, meaty substance on the outside. 
These nuts are boiled for some time, and then poured 
out of the pot, liquor and all, into a large mortar ; it is 
pounded for some time, then the liquor is strained. 
What remains is thrown away as refuse. The liquor is 
about the consistency of arrow-root, of a dark yellow 
color ; this is highly seasoned with the native peppers, 
and is again boiled over. It serves as a soup, and is a 
great addition to the rice, particularly if it has a bit of 
fresh meat or chicken boiled in it — foreigners become 
very fond of it. 

My Bible class interests me very much ; I never en- 
joyed that part of God's word so much before. A large 
vessel in the offing. We like to have them here ; it re- 
minds one of home. My little boy, Dayo, has just ar- 



96 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

rived. I was busy making a dress for Virginia ; he 
wanted to know what it was ; I told him, and told 'him 
she was to be his little sister, and he must love her very 
much. I wish I could find time to write in the day, I 
am always so tired at night, but it must be then, or 
never ; for if I have a moment in the day-time, I am so 
subject to interruptions that it is impossible to write. 
The lime-ade is very refreshing, for our drinking water 
is so warm. Fancy water, when it is brought directly 
from the spring, having to be put into earthen jars, 
to stand some hours in the air before it is at all fit to 
drink. We have an excellent fruit here, called the 
sour-sap; it is quite green, as large as a very small 
water-melon, tapering to one end, more in the form oi 
a pear. This is cut in slices ; the inside is about the 
consistency of an orange, of a beautiful pure white, 
with large, black seeds interspersed. It can be eaten 
with a spoon, or a fork ; being so juicy, it is very re- 
freshing. 

Two English vessels lying out here. The captains 
have been up to see us and brought us some late English 
papers. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have both been very ill 
indeed, a sort of cramp colic ; they were taken very sud- 
denly, and, for a few hours, we much feared the result. 
It must have been something they had eaten. They would 
have been a great loss to the mission, but " Grod is 
good." 

Auntie Dade. — It has been a very wet day, and hav- 
ing a little fever again I have had to lie on the bed 
instead of going to church. It is very amusing to hear 



EVERY-DAY LITE IN AFRICA. 97 

our old cook talk, she uses such long words. She is a 
very pious, good woman, hut talks " dimensible" "While 
I was on the hed, to-day, she came in. She is very fond 
of me. She hegan talking : " So, Honey, you'se sick 
again ; I'se sorry, but we knowse it's the portionable lot 
of all mortalities. "What does that most magnificent 
Book of all books say ? that man is born to troubles as 
the sparks flies up'ards ; but, Honey, I wishes all sparks 
did fly up ; but my kitchen smokes so dimensibly that the 
sparks flies out oftena than they flies up ; my old eyes 
knows it 'cause they feels it. But, Honey, you'se tre- 
mensibly hot, your fever am avaraging ; but you'll get 
well, Honey, just demark my words." Then, with a 
great deal of gesture and many flourishes of her hands, 
" Honey, you was to come here, the Almighty, the 
Great Lord, sent you. A bark was launched, it was 
loaded with a most profusely precious cargo," meaning 
the missionaries ; "it was wafted on the mighty deep 
and the Great Positionabler placing himself at the helm 
guided it safe to the great land of darkness ; and now, 
my baby, do you think he is going to let any one on 'em 
die ? No, I tell you he won't ; and now, Honey, when 
you w T rites home to your mother, just you tell her that 
there is an old lady here, in this dark land, in the 
kitchen, and as long as she lives your mother's baby shall 
want for nothing, that she can do for her, so she may 
make her mind easy on that." 

This afternoon I sent for Dayo to come to my room. 
I wanted to give him something. He did not know 
what I had called him for, so the moment he entered the 
room he came and knelt beside me and put up his hands 

5 



98 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

thinking I had called him to come to say his prayers ; 
as that is, generally, the first thing he does on entering 
the room. Mr. Hoffman is well enough to preach again 
to-day. 

Ocean Eagle. — The Ocean Eagle has arrived to-day 
with the Bishop ; he is much tetter for the voyage. 
Mr. "Wilson does not seem much "better. He expects, 
when he reaches Monrovia, to find that business con- 
nected with the mission will take him to America. Miss 
Coffman, of the Corisco Mission, is also returning for her 
health. Miss "Williford is so feeble we all think she 
ought to go, too. The Bishop has gone down to Cavalla 
to see if she will go, and as he is obliged to go to Mon- 
rovia, on diocesan duty, for a month or six weeks ; if 
Miss Williford leaves, I shall have to go to Cavalla, to stay 
with Miss Ball, till the Bishop returns. I have just got 
into my regular routine of duties here and love them. 
But instability is written on all earthly things, par- 
ticularly in this land, and we must be ready to go or 
stay, as duty calls. 

News from Cavalla. — Miss Williford has concluded, 
at all events, to go to Monrovia, and perhaps to America, 
so I must prepare to return with Miss Ball to Cavalla. 
She will be up with all the rest, as we are going to 
have a wedding here on Thursday. Friday the vessel 
sails. Mr. Hoffman and Miss Hogan are to be married 
Thursday afternoon. The ceremony is to be performed » 
by the Bishop in our little church, St. Mark's. Mr. Wil- 
son appears very ill ; I cannot bear to look at him. 




EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 



99 



We received a note before breakfast this morning. It 
was from the Bishop sending for the doctor, Miss Willi- 
ford having been taken alarmingly ill. The captain says he 
will put off sailing a day or so if there is any prospect 
of its benefiting her. None of the people here have the 
least idea of the wedding. I think Mr. Thompson 
begins to suspect, as I asked him to-day to get me, to- 
morrow, all the flowers he could muster. He looked 
hard at me for a moment, and then smiled very signif- 
icantly, and said he would do it. A little fever again 
to-day. I have a low fever on me almost all the time. 



100 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



THE WEDDING. 

A note from the Bishop this morning. Miss Williford 
much better (inflammation has not set in as was feared), 
so he will be here this afternoon. I have been very busy 
to-day, in school all the morning ; then I went to adorn- 
ing the parlor with flowers. Mr. Thompson brought me 
a great many, and Mr. Harris sent me a large basket 
full. Notice has been given of the wedding, so that all 
who wish to see their pastor married may be present at 
the church. I made a wreath of geranium-leaves and 
little white flowers to put over the bride's veil. The 
Bishop arrived just at dinner-time. He came on horse- 
back. Miss Ball followed, much later, in a hammock. 
Miss Williford is so much better, he intends to go on to 
Monrovia, but she will not attempt a voyage. She thinks 
she shall progress better under the doctor's care. It 
will not be necessary now for me to go to Cavalla. I 
saw that all the girls were dressed in their white dresses. 
Pinned a bouquet on each of them. Saw that the 
gentlemen were all brushed and cologned, and by that 
time Miss Ball arrived ; we were all waiting for her. 
"We then proceeded to the church. It was very full. 
After the ceremony, we all returned home to tea, and 
passed a very pleasant evening. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 101 

The Eagle Sails. — The captain intended to weigh 
anchor early this morning, hut no breeze sprung up till 
toward night. Just at dinner-time there came a mes- 
senger, in great haste, from the doctor, begging the 
Bishop not to go to Monrovia, as Miss Williford is much 
worse again, and he fears she will not live. The Bishop 
instantly had his trunk brought on shore, for it was on 
board the vessel, and he started directly, on horseback, to 
Cavalla. Miss Ball could not obtain bearers. She feels very 
much troubled that she cannot get them. The Ocean 
Eagle got off this evening. We went down with them 
to the beach. I felt very badly at saying good-bye. Mr. 
Wilson looks very ill, and he has been so kind to me. I 
hope when he reaches Monrovia he will find that business 
calls him home. I think he needs his wife's tender 
care. 

The Lake. — Mr. Hoffman had just been enabled to 
engage four bearers for Miss Ball, when he received a 
note from the Bishop. Miss Williford is slightly better, 
but wishes me to go down there with Miss Ball. Mr. 
Hoffman said there was a large canoe on the lake, and 
if we would go by that, the four bearers would be enough 
for us both, as the lake will take us to within three 
miles of Cavalla, and two men each could carry us that 
distance. So we determined to go that way. We had 
quite a large canoe. Now fancy us, if you can, sitting 
at the bottom, being paddled along by six of the natives. 
Oar umbrellas forming sort of sails. The shores of the 
lake are lined with mangrove swamps. The mangrove 
is a specie of the bannian, which throws its branches 



102 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 

down, and they taking root again, form many natural 
arbors. This is one cause of the unhealthiness of the 
climate. The scenery is very beautiful. Every few 
miles we came upon a native town. Little did I think 
once, when I saw pictures of such scenes, that my eyes 
would ever gaze upon them. The native huts, with 
little children running round ; the women standing out- 
side, beating or winnowing their rice ; others in canoes, 
unloading them of the wood they have just been cutting 
(for this is all women's work). These have all been 
faithfully portrayed. Miss Williford was much pleased 
to see me. While Miss Ball is in school she needs some 
one near her. She is very low. The doctor will still 
remain for some days in the house. Hers is not African 
fever, but a complication of other diseases aggravated by 
recent fatigue and anxiety. I hope I may be able to 
add to her comfort. I left Dayo and Virginia in Julia's 
care. She is very fond of them. I have many of the 
colonists come to me to take their children, but I have to 
decline all further gifts. I was very much pleased at 
the affection displayed by the girls on my leaving the 
Asylum, though, I thought it probable, I should be ab- 
sent no longer than a week. While we were in the 
canoe we had a heavy shower, but our umbrellas effect- 
ually preserved us, shedding the rain over the side of the 
canoe, it was so narrow. 

Cavalla. — Miss Williford very feeble to-day. It seems 
to be a comfort to her to have me with her. The ser- 
vice on Sunday morning is entirely in Grebo. It is held 
in the church, though the building is not yet finished. I 




A Native African Village. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 103 

remained with Miss Williford. In the afternoon Sunday- 
school is held in the church. I had Miss Williford's class 
in the parlor, and taught them there. In the evening 
there is service in English in the girls' school-room. 
About a hundred and twenty were present. There were 
some of the Christian natives, who cannot understand 
one word of English, and yet they come to most of the 
services. There was one I noticed, a woman, who can 
read English perfectly ; she had only a cloth ahout her ; 
and it really was a pleasant sight to observe how well 
she used her prayer-book, and joined in all the services, 
singing the praises of Emmanuel. 

Slight improvement in our patient to-day (patient, in 
every sense of the word). Miss Ball killed a small scor- 
pion in her room. Its bite is not much more venom- 
ous than that of a wasp. The larger species is much 
more poisonous. The bats fly about in the rooms very 
much in the evening, after the lamps are lighted. A 
boy was here, with a very nice-looking monkey for sale. 
I was almost tempted to purchase it, to send home, but 
did not know what I should do with it meanwhile. 

Miss Williford is so much better, I shall return home to- 
morrow, if I can obtain bearers. How good is Gc§. to 
us ! We very much feared we should lose her. Her loss 
would be a dreadful blow to the mission. I had a letter 
arrive, by the way of England. 

It being Lent, the Bishop has service and a sermon in 
the school-house every Wednesday and Friday morning, 
at seven o'clock, in English ; and on the same evenings, 
at half-past six, the service in English, the sermon in 
Grebo — Mr. Jones, the native deacon, alternating with 



104 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

the Bishop, though he never preaches in English ; but he 
reads the service exceedingly well. He has taught the 
scholars here to sing by note, and they chant very 
sweetly. I could not but think, at the time, how much 
more it sounded like worshipping and praising than all 
the theatrical music we have in our churches, which al- 
ways seems a showing off of the singers, instead of God's 
worship. We pray to (rod ourselves, and surely we 
ought, also, each one to praise Him. I never heard the 
responses better, in any church. It is very difficult to 
obtain bearers, but I believe the Bishop has succeeded in 
getting some for to-morrow, as Miss Williford is now so 
much better, she is anxious, as well as me, that I should 
be back at my work. That must never be neglected, 
except in cases of absolute necessity. Mr. Dorsen, 
one of our colonist teachers, at a station about twenty 
miles below, came in to-night. He is a very gentle- 
manly man. The Bishop's home, Cavalla, is a perfect 
caravansary, where all attached in any way to the mis- 
sion expect to find a home and a welcome. Mr. Dorsen 
is going to the Cape to-morrow, so I shall have his pro- 
tection. I am glad of it ; I do not like travelling alone. 
I have no fear, but it is not pleasant. 

They are so exceedingly kind that it made me feel a 
sort of regret at leaving : but Miss Williford having im- 
proved so much, I knew duty called me home. Mr. 
Dorsen came with me. We were again obliged to go 
on the lake, but this time we had but a small canoe. 
The leaks, which were many, were stopped with rags, 
which, not proving very efficacious, I was thoroughly 
wet through. Mr. Dorsen tried his best to get a dry ca- 



E VERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 105 

noe, and make me comfortable ; but I changed my 
clothes as soon as I arrived, and hope I shall feel no ill 
effects. I received a very warm welcome from all my 
dear children, and likewise from my friends above stairs. 
As we came along, we saw a number of storks and 
cranes, standing, motionless, on the edge of the lake. They 
are sinsrular-lookins: birds. 

Daily Fare. — Back to my school duties again. You 
wish to know our daily fare. "Well, for breakfast we 
have boiled rice (that at every meal), and either Indian 
meal, rice, or wheat bread, always hot in the morning ; 
and then we have it cold at tea-time. You know it will 
not keep long in this climate. The rice bread is very 
nice. The rice is pounded into very fine flour, so that it 
resembles our ground rice. This, with salt mackerel 
and excellent coffee, forms our breakfast. Our dinner : 
rice and palm-butter, daily. The palm butter I have de- 
scribed. We always have a chicken or two in it. Occa- 
sionally, too, we are able to have a variety ; sometimes 
roast or boiled chickens ; or, once in a great while, a lit- 
tle fresh fish ; or, in a very great while, a bit of fresh 
meat ; but this is very seldom. Then we have ham, and 
corned beef, and pork, from America. They catch, 
sometimes, a species of oyster ; it is good, though it is 
much larger and coarser than ours. We have quite a 
variety of vegetables : sweet potatoes, very good, but 
quite white ; eddo, which, when mashed, is an excellent 
substitute for Irish potatoes ; cassada, w T hich the natives 
use in great quantities. This is a long, round root, 
larger than the largest parsnip, and quite white ; but its 

5* 



106 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

taste is very like a tough stringy turnip. The natives 
eat it raw a good deal. Then we have egg-plant, plan- 
tains — a species of banana, which is either roasted, or cut 
lengthwise, and fried. Sometimes bananas are cooked 
in the same way. Then we have ochre, cucumbers, 
stringed beans, tomatoes, cabbage (very rarely heads), 
lettuce, radishes, lima beans, squashes, and Indian corn. 
None of these come to the perfection they do at home, 
but still they are good. Thus much for dinner. For 
tea, we have bread, or wheat cakes, molasses, and salt 
fish. Such is our ordinary fare. We do not starve, you 
may depend. Puddings, pies, or cakes, are too expen- 
sive, as all butter and sugar come from America ; nev- 
ertheless, on any very great occasions, we can have them. 
Though we may often long for home fare, yet we make 
out very nicely, and our friends there do not forget us» 
They often refresh our memories, and appetites, too, by 
jars of canned lobster, or oysters, preserves, pickles, pre- 
pared mustard, &c, &c ; all things rather expensive 
for the missionary's pocket, but receiving additional rel- 
ish when they come as tributes of affection, and often so 
reviving, when suffering from loss of appetite, consequent 
on fever. 

Most of the people lack a spirit of energy and ambi- 
tion. I am trying to inspire my girls with it, and give 
them habits of industry. I want the girls to have their 
time every moment employed. I am teaching them 
knitting and crochet. Miss "Williford gave me four little 
work-baskets, for my four elder girls. I have had them 
in my room to-day, lining them, and putting needlebooks, 
pockets, &c, in them. They look very nice. Saturday 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 107 

I call my recreation day ; but I always have a number 
of the girls in my room, teaching them various kinds of 
things. This is voluntary on their parts, but I encour- 
age it as much as possible. I want them to love to be 
industrious. May God give them willing hearts to learn. 
Miss Williford is well enough to be about again. 

Baptism. — How beautiful are our church services. It 
seems to me that I love them more and more. May their 
spirit be written in my heart. To-day I stood around 
the chancel, one of a group of sixteen, consisting of 
savage, half-civilized, civilized and enlightened ; four to 
be baptized, the rest as witnesses and sponsors. The 
first baptized was a native woman, the wife of a Chris- 
tian — and now I believe a sincere, humble Christian — 
and her little boy, a child of three years old. Her hus- 
band stood with her, as witness, and as sponsor to his 
child. Another was a boy, about fifteen, from Harris's 
school — and my little boy, Dayo, now Thomas. The 
sponsors and witnesses were composed of Mrs. Hoffman, 
colonists, native Christians, and myself. Truly, " I 
believe in the Catholic Church — one Lord, one faith, 
one baptism, one God and Father of all." I never fully 
realized the beauties of our holy religion — never felt 
what a solemn, aye, an awful thing it is to be a Chris- 
tian, as I do now. Truly, it is good for me to be here. 
As 1 looked at the group, so unlike in outward appear- 
ance, I wondered with which of that party would " the 
high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity," most delight 
to dwell. Grod only knows which heart was the fittest 
temple of the Holy Spirit. My constant and earnest 



108 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

prayer is for more humility. I never before noticed how 
very appropriate the Lord's Prayer is in the baptismal 
service, after the person has been baptized, when we all 
kneel and together pray to " Our Father." This after- 
noon, Mr. Hoffman had his monthly examination of the 
Sunday-school. The schools from Hoffman station, 
Mount Vaughan and Spring-Hill, were there. The 
church was full, and it was so pleasant to hear the full 
responses to all the questions asked on the Catechism 
and Scripture lessons. I never heard any school — I will 
not make one exception — respond more fully, freely and 
perfectly. How much will those in Christian countries 
have to answer for, if they neglect their precious privileges. 
As I returned home, I stood for an instant watching the 
fearful dashing of the waves — how they raged and 
foamed, and wreaked their fury upon the rocks, lift- 
ing their crested heads on high, as if they would over- 
flow and swallow up all before them. But, helpless as 
man is to stem their tide, as he stands and gazes at 
them, he knows there is One who " holds the waves in 
the hollow of his hand ;" and who says, " thus far shalt 
thou go, and no farther, and here shall thy proud 
waves be stayed." Man can but bow, and wonder, and 
adore. 

Little Thomas. — It is very pleasant to me to hear 
the name Thomas, night and morning, when the roll is 
called, even though it is only a poor little black boy 
that answers to it. I think I shall love him all the 
better for his name. He will repeat a little verse now 
quite nicely in the mornings ; I select very short ones 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 109 

for him. My little Virginia is very timid about saying 
hers ; she is a dear little girl ; I have a few toys in the 
corner of my closet, and my two little ones play quite 
nicely together. Thomas does not mind what I do for 
Jenny (as we call her), but if I take any notice of any of 
the other children, he becomes quite jealous ; they seem 
to grow fond of each other. I have commenced a night 
school for adult females ; they are so ignorant, and yet 
so anxious to learn, and at night is the only time I have ; 
I shall hold it twice a week, Mondays and Fridays ; my 
older girls will assist me ; and if I can once get it thor- 
oughly established, in case of my sickness or absence, 
they might be enabled to continue it. I have plenty 
now to do, though all are earnestly desirous of this 
school, yet they fear lest I may tax my strength too 
much ; but I hope God may give me strength for it, as 
it is so much needed. 

The Hospital. — I have not been well since I got so 
wet in the canoe, but I hoped it would pass off. Yester- 
day I very imprudently went to church, (we have ser- 
vice Monday and Tuesday afternoons through Lent) 
though feeling very unwell ; I had not felt able to go on 
Monday, and I think it is such a bad example to stay 
away, as well as the loss to ourselves, when we can pos- 
sibly go. I was obliged, however, to go to bed directly. 
T came home w T ith high fever. To-day my fever is very 
high, but I have attended to all my duties ; my head is 
very bad when I have fever. This afternoon Mr. Hoffman 
sent for the doctor, and quinine is the order of the day. 
Mr. Hoffman has taken the little house next door to us. 



110 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

and has put his old gardener and his wife there ; he in- 
tends for it to form the nucleus of a hospital ; he has 
strong faith that one will be established here, it is so 
much needed. The Youn^ Men's Christian Association 
attended to the removal of old Father Scotland, and he 
is now here to be taken care of. Mr. Hoffman supplies 
him from his own table, and maintains him at his own 
expense ; the change in his position and condition is 
very great; the poor old man seems very comfortable 
now, and very grateful. My room looks just like what 
I have always pictured a missionary's room should be ; 
when I am in it, there are several little ones playing 
about on the floor, while a number are sitting round at 
different employments ; they must always be busy when 
they come into my room. I wage inveterate warfare 
with idleness ; even the smallest child must be playing 
busily. What English my two little ones speak, is very 
correct. 

Went into school, though with a very heavy chill on ; 
in the afternoon my fever was very high, and it was my 
Bible class ; at first I felt disposed to give it up, I was 
so ill, but many of them had walked four miles to at- 
tend, and I did not think it right to send them away. 
My fever excited me, and I believe our class was more 
interesting than usual. When I returned to my room, I 
found the vessel we had been looking for so long, had 
arrived, and a large package of letters and papers from 
home awaited me ; but I was obliged, spite of my eager- 
ness, to lay them aside for a time — I could not see a 
line. The doctor came in again ; he does not think I 
will have a severe attack ; but persons generally have a 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. Ill 

second attack in about a month or six weeks after the 
first ; it sometimes is more severe than the first, but 
after that is safely passed, the person is considered accli- 
mated — as far as the white man ever can be in this 
clime — but he is constantly subject to low intermittents, 
though rarely giving up to them till his strength is com- 
pletely exhausted, then he is obliged to seek a cooler 
country for a time to revive his drooping powers. Mr. 
and Mrs. Hoffman both very unwell to-day ; we are con- 
stantly sick and well, but I shall not speak of it again, 
unless when any one of us is completely disabled for 
the time. My skin is now quite yellow — a real Af- 
rican 



112 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



TEST. 

To-day Mr. Hoffman buried a native Christian, an old 
man ; he has for years been persuaded of the truth of 
the Grospel, and been under conviction, but it was a 
stumbling-block to him, the having to give up his 
wives. This is one of their greatest difficulties. Like the 
young man in the Grospel, who was almost a Christian, 
but who went away sorrowful, when Christ bid him give 
up all, and follow him. The wives here are often a 
man's only property, and it is like giving up his wealth 
to part with them ; it is a good test of his sincerity. To 
the women, it is no hardship ; there is no love ; and they 
become the property of another member of the family. 
This old man some weeks since, while still in health 
and strength, gave up all for Christ. 

Love Feast. — A love feast to-night at Harris's ; I 
wish I could attend. This feast is held the night before 
communion, at the house of one of the Christian natives : 
it is a prayer-meeting, after which a frugal meal is pre- 
pared, of which all partake together — the missionary, 
and generally one of the ladies attend, if able, Their 
ordinary custom in eating is for the woman to prepare 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 113 

the food, and then taste it before her husband, "to 
take the witch off," or to show it is not poisoned. A 
host or hostess never eat with their guests, but after 
" taking the witch off," they leave their guests alone in 
the hut, and then themselves eat the remains. Now, at 
the love-feast, after a blessing has been asked, all, men 
and women, sit down and eat together, to show they 
have a perfect love and confidence in each other. " Per- 
fect love casteth out all fear." I was much pleased to- 
day. I expressed a wish before one of the girls for a 
lime, and before night I had dozens ; they grow very 
plentifully, and, I believe, wild, here ; it showed such 
kind feeling on the part of the children. Had the girls, 
who are communicants, up into my room, and talked 
with them of the holy feast to-morrow ; they are good 
girls, I believe. 

An English screw-propeller anchored off. Some of the 
officers came to the Asylum, but I was in school, and 
did not see them ; I should have liked to obtain some in- 
formation from them, as they are going on an exploring 
expedition up the Niger. 

The Horse. — Mr. Hoffman's horse has been sick ever 
since we have been here ; the poor thing died to-day ; and 
as the natives eat every kind of animal food, even though 
dying of disease, he allowed them to have the remains 
of the poor horse, as they would have thought it dread- 
fully cruel of him if he had not. Not knowing this, and 
hearing a great "palaver," I went to the end of the 
piazza to see what was the matter — there, on the rocks, 
where the waves would soon wash away all traces, was 



114 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

a large native, performing the part of butcher, sur- 
rounded by a crowd, all fiercely vociferating, (in their 
ordinary conversation they talk so loud and hard, you 
would think they were quarrelling,) each eager to get a 
large piece. Just as I looked out, one man was stalking 
off, in triumph, with the bleeding leg of the poor beast. 
I turned away with disgust ; it was a sickening sight. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman went to Rocktown, one of our 
stations, under the charge of Mr. Toomy ; they stayed 
all night, but on the way they were caught in a thunder- 
storm, and had to take refuge in a native hut for sev- 
eral hours. These huts are very unpleasant to be in for any 
length of time, as they always keep a fire burning that 
makes it so hot you are soon in a profuse perspiration, 
and then the smoke makes your eyes ache badly. 
Father Scotland is happy, and patient, but longing to be 
in his heavenly home ; he loves to have the girls go in 
and sing for him. Oh, for a hospital ! It seems to be 
Mr. Hoffman's daily cry and desire, his heart is so large. 
There is a poor girl dying of consumption ; he would much 
like to have her here, but this little house can but ac- 
commodate one patient at a time. Many ships passing 
to-day . 

Wah. — Little Wah is here again ; what a bright little 
fellow he is ! I wish you could take a peep at me in my 
school-room, surrounded by thirty girls, of all sizes and 
complexions, from the very lightest quadroon to the 
darkest negro, with bright, happy countenances, dili- 
gently studying their lessons — myself seated at a desk, 
on a slightly elevated platform. At my feet, at one side, 






EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 115 

little Jenny, tired of playing quietly with her doll, has 
laid herself down, and is fast asleep ; on the other side 
of me are two of the very blackest little hoys you ever 
saw, Wall and Thomas, talking to one another by signs, 
occasionally appealing to me to settle their little differ- 
ences, looking at pictures, or plaiting a sort of flag. 
This is a long leaf, that can be split and plaited, when 
it is made into baskets, &c. These little boys would 
plait with twenty strands, holding it with their feet ; 
then Wah would bring me a slate, and I set him a copy, 
explaining to him that each letter meant the same as 
the one he knew on his fingers. At length, I made him 
understand that the written word " Thomas" was the 
same as he spelt on his fingers, to mean the name of my 
little boy ; when he comprehended this, his delight 
knew no bounds. It was a perfect treat to see his ex- 
pressive countenance, as it lighted up ; and his efforts to 
write were unwearied — he succeeded admirably. We 
thought old Father Scotland would be gone to- day. As 
I looked upon that poor, old man, I thought of the 
mighty change to him from his helplessness and poverty ; 
the moment his ransomed spirit takes its flight, from 
that poor pallet he will pass to a throne, for all Christians 
are to be " kings and priests unto (rod :" and they are 
to sit down with Christ on His throne, even as he has over- 
come, and has sat down with his Father on His throne. 

The Boat. — By the " Stevens," a nice row-boat was 
sent out to the mission. It will be very good, when the 
weather is favorable for carrying stores, &c, to Cavalla, 
as everything is obliged to be landed from the vessels 



116 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

here, and they have a great deal of difficulty in trans- 
porting the articles. John Wilson, the colonist teach- 
er of the boys' school at Cavalla, came up with the 
boat to-day, and was to return with it this afternoon. 
The Bishop sent me a kind message, that, according to 
homoeopathy, the medicine which makes us sick should 
cure us, therefore, as it was my journey from Cavalla 
had made me unwell, a return hither would perhaps 
cure me ; and as the boat would for some time be coming 
and going, I had better take advantage of it, to pay 
them a visit for a day or two. I knew he did not ex- 
pect me to go that very day, but as it was Saturday, 
and the boat would return on Monday, I just felt as if I 
should like it, so off I started — and, though unexpected, 
I knew well I was not unwelcome, Miss Ball looks 
very white, Miss Williford better than I have seen her 
since I have been here. 

Attended the services in church this morning — all in 
the Grrebo language — a number of natives present ; they 
put on their best clothes (made a little larger than or- 
dinary) on Sundays. A red night-cap is a favorite 
article of dress with the old men. Tausrht Miss Ball's 
class in the afternoon. Many children from the town, 
who are not in the day-school, come to Sunday-school. 

Home again early enough to begin school. We had 
a nice awning up all over the boat. 

The Snake. — Murder was committed last nisrht in our 
church ; Mr. nor Mrs. Hoffman, nor myself, were present. 
It seems a gentleman, of the snake species, had made 
his way into the chancel, and being discovered snugly 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 117 

coiled up, some of the people tried to dislodge him ; but 
his snakeship did not like to leave the church, and so 
wriggled himself into a hole, but leaving part of his 
tail sticking out. One of the men seized hold of his 
tail, and tied it tight to the railing of the chancel, so 
that it could not get away ; his body was fast wedged 
into the hole. He remained thus all through the service, 
his tail sticking up about two feet. Whether Mr. Gibson 
or the snake had the most attention of the audience, I 
cannot tell. As soon as the congregation was dismissed, 
the men sot clubs, and finallv succeeded in withdrawing: 
the gentleman from his hole, and despatching him. It 
proved to be a young boa-constrictor, seven and a-half feet 
lon^. During service, he was making ineffectual struggles 

l~J CJ ' t_J CD CD 

to free himself; if he had done so, what a commotion 
there would have been. Mr. Hoffman has had Matha 
Owen, the poor young girl who is dying of consumption, 
brought to the Asylum. Mrs. Hoffman has had a room 
fitted up for her, up stairs ; and one of the elder girls 
has offered to nurse, and take care of her. It is all at 
Mr. Hoffman's expense. Poor girl ! she is near her 
end. While her poor body is thus cared for, may her 
soul be led to Jesus. We are all trying what we can do 
towards St. Mark's Hospital, in the way of subscribing 
ourselves, and obtaining donations from home. You 
cannot imagine the suffering here. I would say to all 
who read this, " the smallest donations thankfully re- 
ceived." Miss Williford received some time ago a 
Christmas-box from a friend at home, and we all shared 
— raisins, citron, prunes, figs, pickles. Many thanks, 
kind friend ; there is scarcely one in the mission, 



1L8 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

scholars or teachers, but has reason to thank you for your 
Christmas-box. To Poor Matha and Father Scotland 
the prunes were very grateful. A little gift sent here, 
blesses rnanv. 

ml 

The days when I have my adult school, I am very 
wearied ; in school from nine in the morning till half- 
past nine at night, with very little intermission ; but 
then there is a sweet peace in the heart, when we feel 
that we have earnestly endeavored to fulfil our Saviour's 
injunction, " to do to others as you would have them do 
to you." 

Saturday Interruptions. — Saturday is the only time 
I ever have to do any sewing for myself. I have had a 
dress about four weeks trying to get it made ; to-day, I 
determined it should be finished — but patience has to be 
exercised here. Sometimes, when I feel inclined to be a 
little impatient at all these interruptions, I pause and 
think, for this came I forth! Well, to-day, I had just 
reached out my sewing, and sat down, when poor Mat- 
thew comes to me crying with tooth-ache — talked, and 
comforted him a little bit — got some flannel, and, heat- 
ing some vinegar and salt, steeped the flannel in it, and 
putting it to his face he was soon relieved, and fell asleep. 
Then my little Thomas was quite ill all day, lying on 
the floor in my room ; he had to be dosed, and attended 
to. Then two of the older girls came to my room for 
me to show them how to finish a dress for old Auntie 
Dade, which I had cut and fitted for her ; she wanted it 
for to-morrow ; it is love-feast at her church, (the Metho- 
dist) so I had just to set to and help them finish it 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 119 

for her. Then Julia came, and told me Paddock wanted 
to see me. He is a very nice boy ; about three weeks 
ago he was here, and, as he can read very nicely, I gave 
him a book ; he had come to thank me, and to bring 
me a dash of a fowl. He spoke very prettily to me. I 
was just seated again in my room, when Julia brought 
me a little note. I had some work to read it ; it was 
from a native Christian, and he was in the other room 
waiting to see me. He lives at the same station as Pad- 
dock does, and helps to teach the boys there ; he be- 
longed to the same town as my little Thomas, which is 
directly across the lake from the mission station, at 
which he now lives. His name is Proud ; he is a very 
fine-looking man, though disfigured by the Kroo mark. 
His wife is a Christian, also; she was educated at the 
girls' school at Cavalla. He has a little infant, his first 
child, and he wants to name it after me, so he wanted 
my full name, and he wishes me to be sponsor. He 
wants me very much to go and see her at Half Grawah, 
five miles down the lake. He is to come on Monday 
afternoon for me, and bring me back in a nice large 
canoe. I asked Thomas if he would like to go with me 
and see his father arid mother, if the canoe was large 
enough ; he said yes, if I would be sure to bring him 
back. I shall take Julia with me, as an interpreter. 
A week or so ago, Mr. Hoffman was at Half Grawah, 
preaching, with Proud for his interpreter, when, passing 
one of the native huts, he heard a low, plaintive moaning ; 
on looking round he saw, under the eaves of the hut, 
which was shut up, a poor little, deformed child, in the 
last stages of emaciation. It had the head of a child 



120 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

three years old, while its limbs were those of an infant 
of a few weeks. Two women were standing at an oppo- 
site hut, laughing at the wailing of the poor little one ; 
it seemed in a state of starvation, gnawing eagerly a 
piece of raw cassada, which his little feeble hand had 
liardly strength to carry to his mouth. Mr. Hoffman 
asked the women about it ; they seemed to look upon 
the sufferings of the child as an amusement. They told 
him that the child had no father or mother — his father's 
sister (his aunt) had care of him, but, being so deformed, 
he would never be any good ; she, the aunt, had now 
gone away to the bush for some days, and thinking the 
child would be dead before her return, she had shut up 
her hut/ and left him outside with that cassada to eat, 
knowing if he died while she was gone, the neighbors 
would bury him. The poor child could not speak, but 
his low wails were most pitiable. Mr. Hoffman told the 
women they ought to take him into their hut, and take 
care of him. They turned away with a loud laugh, at 
the absurdity of their doing anything for one like that, 
who could be of no good. Mr. Hoffman then sent 
Proud across the lake, to Spring Hill station, to get a 
mat, and lifting the child tenderly upon it, (for, he was 
so emaciated, the least touch hurt him) they carried 
him across to Spring Hill, almost fearing he would die 
before they could get across ; there they put him in the 
kitchen, near the fire, and tried to do everything to 
make him comfortable. He cannot live, however, but 
a few days. I asked Paddock about him to-day ; he 
says he is a little better, but all the time utters that 
low, moaning cry, that is so painful to hear. "What is 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 121 

man without Grod ? Savage ! savage ! But, to go on 
with my Saturday — it was now dinner-time ; then came 
Lavinia to her studies, then to see old Father Scotland 
and Poor Matha, and so ends my day. My poor dress 
must go away for another week. 

G-rawah. — About half-past one, when school was 
over, Proud came for me. I dressed Thomas up in his 
best, (a little suit I had made for Sundays) a white 
shirt and pantaloons, and, taking Julia along with me, 
we started. Proud had a very large canoe, with boards 
put in the bottom to keep my feet from getting wet, 
and a little native chair for me to sit in. These native 
chairs stand about a foot from the ground, and really 
are very comfortable. Proud has risen to the dignity of 
wearing a complete suit of American clothes — hat, coat, 
pantaloons, &c. ; and no gentleman could have been 
more polite and courteous to a lady, and more careful of 
her comfort, than Proud was. About two miles up the 
lake, there is a very large rock that stretches directly 
across the beach, from the oeean to the lake ; this is 
called the devil's rook. They believe a great devil, or 
Ku, lives here, and none of them dare cross it, (which 
they are obliged to do when coming from Cape Palmas 
by land) without making an offering, however slight, to 
the Ku. Poor things ! it is little they have to give — a 
pretty shell, a few grains of rice, &c. As we drew near 
this rock, we heard the most strange, unearthly cries 
and screams ; as we approached nearer, we found they 
proceeded from a woman ; we heard them a long dis- 
tance before we saw her. She was in the water, 

6 



122 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

and she would rush frantically from the water into the 
mango-swamp, and then on the solid ground — there 
she would fall to the earth, apparently in convulsions, 
foaming at the mouth, &c. ; then the same things would 
be repeated, with such wild screams, gestures and voci- 
ferations, I thought she must certainly be a raving 
maniac. A man was standing near, not touching her : 
he was her husband ; he was only watching that she did 
herself no injury. Upon inquiring of Proud what was 
the matter, he told me, " The devil (the Ku) hab her; 
she soon come be great devil woman — look, mammy, 
close on them rock live big devil; many men be lie 
dead there — plenty devils (Kwi) there — (all the spirits of 
the departed become devils, and they become big or little 
devils, according to their position in this world) — one 
devil he come live with this woman, then she come be 
wise woman." Upon inquiry afterwards upon this sub- 
ject, I found that among the G-reboes there are some 
people, both men and women, who are called " Deya," 
or devil doctor. These profess to find out witches, to be 
enabled to foretell the future, and, in fact, to perform 
all the charms and spells such people ever have done in 
all parts *of the world. Before they become doctors, 
however, they have to go through a long preparation. 
They first become suddenly seized with the idea that 
they are possessed by a devil, that they cannot get rid of 
him, but that he will teach and enable them to perform 
many wonderful things. They do actually appear to 
have the symptoms that the Evangelists tell us were 
seen in those possessed by devils ; they go into violent 
convulsions, wallowing on the ground, gnashing their 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 123 

teeth — sometimes, I have been told, falling in the fire, 
and, as I now witnessed, into the water. AVhen in their 
lucid state, they will go to a devil doctor to be taught. 
They have to separate entirely from their family during 
this time, which varies from one to three years, at the 
teacher's pleasure. They have to pass through a num- 
ber of strange ceremonies, but at length their instruction 
is complete, and they go home, and can set up in busi- 
ness for themselves, where they are held in great re- 
spect. # 

After watching this poor woman awhile, we then went 
on to Half-G-rawah, my little boy's home. AVe were 
taken to the house of the head-man, (Thomas's father). 
The hut was very large, and clean ; and round the in- 
side were as many as fifty plates and dishes, hanging by 
pegs, stuck in to the side, and arranged very neatly. At 
one side were a number of jars and pots, made of the 
country clay. There was no fire in it, for which I was 
very thankful, as the smoke and the heat are dreadful. 
The head-man did not make his appearance ; so, after 
sitting and talking with Thomas's mother, and others, 
for a while, I got up to say good-by. They said no, I 
must not say good-by, for head-man was gone to get 
dinner for me, and he would be very much offended if I 
did not come back and eat his dinner. So I said I 
would go across the lake to Spring Hill, see Proud's 
w r ife and child, and then come back. 

There were several men here who understood English 

* Since writing the above, I have seen a very full account of these 
people in Mrs. Scott's " Day-Dawn," to which I refer you. 



124 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

very well, and I had good interpreters in Julia and 
Proud. I asked Thomas if he would like to remain 
with his mother, while I went across the lake. But, no ! 
he was too much afraid that I would go away, and 
leave him. I had given him some tobacco to give to 
both his mother and father (all smoke here, men and 
women, and even young children, when they can get it ; 
you cannot give a more acceptable present than a little 
tobacco) as a dash from me, and some beads for his 
little sister — and he was quite delighted at having these 
things to present. He was quite the centre of attraction 
to all the little urchins in town ; such fine clothes had never 
been seen on any little boy before. At Spring Hill the 
teachers have a very small wooden house to live in, like 
the houses in the Christian village, at Cavalla — very 
coarse tables and chairs, but still infinitely superior to 
everything they had been used to in their own huts. 
You remember these native teachers are, all of them, 
those that have formerly been themselves educated in the 
schools. All the garden, round the house, looked in very 
nice order. Many young fruit and coffee-trees were 
flourishing, as yet too young to bear, but giving promise 
of future harvests. Proud's wife and child, and all the 
boys, looked well, clean and happy. We went into the 
kitchen, to see the poor little creature Mr. Hoffman had 
rescued from death by starvation ; but, just as he 
said, it is impossible to do justice to the picture. A 
child, probably between three and four years old, with 
head the size, and limbs the length, of a child of that 
age, but, oh ! so fearfully emaciated and attenuated. His 
breast-bone protruded like a chicken's, and there ap- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 125 

peared to be nothing but the thinnest skin over that 
and the ribs. His back was the shape of the letter S ; 
but, oh ! his eyes — shall I ever forget the expression of 
those eyes ! Immense eyes ! starvation, misery, and 
anguish, were written there. He feels a little better to- 
day ; the food he has had the past few days has given 
him a little strength, so he can sit up. But what agony 
the poor child must have suffered, and no " eye to pity, 
none to help." He moaned so pitifully, it made the 
heart ache ; he does not attempt to speak, but all that 
can be done for him, is being done now. I thought of 
that poor little creature so soon to be laid low ; and then, 
that, through the all-atoning merits of the gracious Re- 
deemer, that now fearful-looking object would be beau- 
tiful, bright and all-glorious, clothed in white, 

"And with the angels stand, 

A crown upon his forehead, 
A harp within his hand ; 

There, right before his Saviour, 
So glorious and so bright, 

He'd wake the sweetest music, 
And praise him day and night." 

And, as I turned away, I thanked my Saviour with 
a grateful heart, that " light and immortality had been 
brought to light by the Gospel." Paddock seemed 
much pleased to see me, and promised to look after and 
tend the poor little boy. I gave him a dash of tobacco, 
for his father. We then re-crossed the lake, to Half- 
Grawah. We first went into the hut of a native 
Christian, called Johns ; he has lately been building 
himself a new one. It is very nice and large — oblong, 



126 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

instead of round ; and it has a partition, formed of mats 
(made of bamboo) so as to form a bed-room ; in this he 
has a very decent bedstead. Everything looks neat and 
comfortable. His wife (of course, he has but one) is a 
very good-looking, intelligent young woman. After 
talking with them awhile, we were told our dinner was 
ready. I did not go to it with a very vigorous appetite, 
but they had prepared this to show me as much honor 
as they could express, and I would not refuse and 
wound their feelings on any account. We were con- 
ducted again into the house of the head-rnan ; there a 
large chest was set out in the middle of the floor, co- 
vered with a clean, coarse, tow-cloth. At opposite sides 
of this impromptu table, country chairs w r ere placed for 
Julia and myself, and a log of wood for Thomas to sit 
on. Three little dishes were turned upside down, at our 
places, to serve for plates — a large iron spoon for each, 
with the addition of a fork for me. Then there were 
two covered vegetable dishes, and a gravy dish, with 
cover and ladle. Johns and his brother stood by, to wait 
on us. They were Kroomen, had served on several ves- 
sels on the coast, and were quite proud of their know r - 
ledge of " 'Merica fashion." On another box, beside us, 
was a pretty little pitcher of water, and some glasses. 
Our waiters stood quite still, with folded arms, till we 
had asked a blessing — then they whipped off the covers, 
with a great flourish. In one dish, was rice ; in the 
other, the fresh fish our host had been to catch, which 
had been cooked in the palm-butter that was in the 
gravy-dish. Julia and Thomas enjoyed their dinner 
very much ; I can hardly say as much, though I did 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 127 

take a little of each, out of compliment to my host. 
He never made his appearance till we had finished eat- 
ing ; then, whilst Proud and Johns were eating the re- 
mainder, we went outside and talked with him. 

Johns' brother, Prince Willi am > is a very intelligent 
man. He has been to sea a great deal. He begged and 
implored me to take his child, a fine little girl about three 
years old. I told him I could not ; that I had as much 
as I could do now. But he implored very earnestly 
" That I would take her and make her a Christian child." 
How hard it does seem to be obliged, to deny such re- 
quests. They think I love children (they are not far 
wrong there), and this is the twelfth child I have had 
offered to me. Thomas' father seemed very grateful. 
He told me, u He gave me his boy, as long he live ; he 
be my child, to do what I pleased with him, and he hoped 
I would make him mind me, and he grow up to be good 
man." As we returned in the canoe, we saw a poor 
leper, in a dreadful condition, bathing : dipping himself 
up and down in the water. It brought to mind the 
Syrian leper, Naaman. 

Insects. — We have many petty annoyances here in 
the way of insects. In the first place, though such a 
thing as a bedbug is unknown, w r e have very few 
flies ; you will hardly see one in a week. They are 
great rarities. Then we have a few, but not many, 
mosquitoes. There is a little insect that, at times, is 
quite troublesome, called the tick. It buries itself in the 
flesh of the feet and legs. It festers and becomes quite 
sore for several days. Then we have centipedes and 



128 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

scorpions. We do not see them so often, and they rare- 
ly injure you unless you happen to put your hand on 
them, or something of that kind. The cockroaches are a 
great nuisance. They grow very large, and are as bad 
as moths for eating clothes, particularly anything made of 
silk. But the greatest pests are the little ants. They are 
about the size of the little red ants at home, and they 
are here in myriads. Anything to eat, or drink, even a 
glass of water, must be stood in a dish of salt water, if 
you do not wish it full of them. They are perfect scav- 
engers. Should you kill a roach and leave it, in an hour 
there will be no trace of it ; they will have carried it 
off. The speed with which they collect round anything is 
marvellous. Rats and mice we have also in any 
quantity. I caught a very large rat in my room last 
night 

Saturday Evening. — Instead of reading the usual 
portion of Scripture at worship on Saturday evening, 
Mr. Hoffman has a custom of asking the children what 
has happened through the week, and then of deducing- 
lessons of wisdom from these occurrences. Even in this 
small place, every Saturday evening, there has been one 
or more deaths to speak of. To night it struck me this 
world ought not to be called the " land of the living,'' 
but the land of the dying. It is the other world that is 
the " land of the living." Mr. Hoffman told the children 
that they had been speaking to him of death, now he 
would speak to them of life — " life from the dead." To- 
morrow, again, we are going to have two natives baptized, 
a man and a woman, and Mr. Hoffman feels that Christ 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 129 

has, indeed, called them from the dead and given them 
life. How delightful it is to see one after another wak- 
ing from " the death in sin to a life in holiness." May- 
it thus prove with them. 

Sunday. — Again the beautiful baptismal service. 
May it ever remind us how it represents to us our pro- 
fession, to follow the example of our blessed Lord. 
Read and talked to Matha, on the parable of the mar- 
riage, explaining to her the wedding garment and the 
freeness of its gift. Oh ! that each Sunday we may 
travel " a Sabbath day's journey" toward our home. 

Wah. — My adult evening class has increased to six- 
teen. Wah has been in the school-room all the evening. 
"We always close with prayer. When we were about to 
kneel, he rushed across the room, knelt at my side, and 
taking hold of my hand placed it on his head, and held 
it there all the time we were in prayer, at the same time 
looking up, most earnestly, in my face. I do not know 
what he meant by the action. He is a very bright, in- 
telligent child. I love to watch him. I wish I could 
know what ideas he has with regard to Grod. 

Sacerdillo. — Mr. Hoffman brought in a large fruit last 
night about the size of a very large cantelope, only it is 
egg-shaped instead of round. The outside is a beautiful 
fawn color. It is called the sacerdillo. Upon cutting 
it open, in the centre, there is about a teacupful of pulpy 
substance, with seeds in it, exactly resembling grapes 
• with the skin off— only the seeds are quite soft. This 

6* 



130 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

you eat with a spoon. It is delicious. The remainder 
of the fruit, cut up and stewed, makes a very good sub- 
stitute % apple sauce, only it is rather sweet. It grows 
on a vine, which clambers up very tall trees. But, like 
all parasites, it materially injures that which maintains 
and supports it. 

Convocation. — Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman are gone to attend 
the convocation, at Cavalla. This is a meeting held three 
times a year, at different stations, when all the teachers 
and ministers, from the different places, that can possibly 
come, are present. Reports are read, speeches made, 
and all business for the mission attended. Exchanges 
or removals, decided upon. I could not well be present. 
It is best for one of us always to be at home. 

Good Friday. — Good Friday. Mr. Gibson preached 
a most excellent sermon, from the words, " He bowed His 
head and died." It was really a beautiful discourse. 
"Would that every heart in that little congregation could 
respond " the Saviour died for me." Poor Matha is 
very feeble. She coughs and expectorates constantly, 
but will not believe she is near death. 

Change. — Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman did not reach home 
till quite late. They brought me letters from the Bishop 
and Miss Williford, in which I find several changes have 
been determined upon at this convocation. Mr. Gibson is 
to be removed to Monrovia, to take the pastoral charge 
of the church there. Mr. Crummel, also a colored clergy- 
man, is to come here, to assist Mr. Hoffman, and to have 



E VERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 131 

charge of the Boys' High School, which is to be re- 
moved to Mount Vaughan. And Miss Ball and myself 
are to change places. She is to come here to the Asy- 
lum, and I go to Cavalla. We should all be willing to 
go, or stay, wherever we can accomplish most good, and 
it is thought best, and so we are to remove next week. 
We have been expecting this some time. 

Easter Sunday. — In bed all day, with very high 
fever, but could rejoice in a risen Saviour. 

I have had a nice little note to-day from Mr. Wilson 
from Monrovia. He is still very unwell. He is going home 
to America. I hope his health may be improved by it. 
Last evening we had several of the colonists here to tea. 
We had a very pleasant evening. My children seem to 
feel very badly at my leaving them. I shall be obliged to 
leave my little Virginia here. Miss Ball will take care 
of her, as all the children at Cavalla are natives, and Mr. 
Harris does not wish her to mingle with them, Little 
Thomas I shall take with me, and let him go into the 
boys' school at Cavalla. 

Travelling. — The sea has been so rough, for some 
days, that the boat has not been able to come up ; so 
after leaving all my things packed, to be sent when 
the sea is calmer, I started for Cavalla in a hammock, 
the boy the Bishop had sent up going along to take 
care of me. 

The rolling of the surf to-night was most truly grand. 
As the waves broke upon the rocks, the spray would be 
tossed up for yards. Truly, it seems to me, Old Ocean 
is tho most magnificent creation of the Almighty hand. 



132 , INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 

My bearers detained me very long on the road, so that 
it was eight o'clock in the evening ere I reached my 
destination. I should have felt quite timid if the Bishop's 
boy had not been with me. It was perfectly dark, and 
the last two miles of our road lies through a plain 
covered with grass four feet high, through which a nar- 
row foot-path has been trodden. Thoughts of leopards, 
snakes, &C, darted across my imagination, and then the 
strange, wild cries of the night-birds in the bushes, made 
me truly realize how far away I was from home, and, 
to complete the romance, one of my poor bearers slipt 
and fell, tumbling me to the ground ; fortunately, we 
were neither of us much hurt — just a bruise or two. 
But the bright smiles, and cheerful, happy faces that 
soon greeted me, made amends for all fatigue. 

To-morrow I shall begin my work among the natives. 
I do not know whether I shall like it as well as among 
the colonists, but wherever I am, I hope I may work 
for God. 

Want. — Miss Ball went to the Cape to-day, and the 
Bishop started for Monrovia. He probably will be ab- 
sent two months. I have been into the store-room with 
Miss Williford, learning the place where everything 
is kept — books, material for wearing apparel, &c. Then 
we cut and basted five dresses for the girls. We went 
into the native town to visit two sick women, and so 
passed the day. 

The people are very poor, and yet very generous, 
among themselves dividing their smallest possessions. 
There is no character they appear so much to despise as 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 133 

a stingy one, or, as they call it, " a close hand." And 
if the missionary wishes to effect any good among them* 
he must show his kindness by frequent little dashes ; so 
I have supplied myself with a piece of dark cotton 
cloth, some tohacco and pipes for this purpose. Poor 
creatures, they really suffer very much. A little thing 
makes them happy. Since the war last year there has 
been great scarcity of food, and you constantly are met 
by beggars — placing their hand on their stomachs, they 
will say, " Hunger kills me," or " Hunger affects me." 
Money, money, money, how much are we often tempted 
to covet it. 

My little Thomas has walked down to-day from the 
Cape. It is a long walk for such a child. 

There is a French vessel anchored off here with a 
great deal of rum on board. "We see some of the hor- 
rible effects of it. It is so very, very wicked thus to 
destroy the missionary's labor of years. 

The "Well. — A calm, peaceful Sabbath. I was 
awakened in the morning by a loud chattering and jab- 
bering, and looking out of my window, a perfect east- 
ern picture presented itself. Our house stands on the 
brow of a small hill, completely enveloped in cocoa-nut 
trees, which add much to the beauty of the scene. Just 
at the foot of this little hill, or bank, the Bishop has had 
a deep well dug, the water of which is, at present, raised 
up by means of a windlass. There has been quite a 
drought for some time, and all the springs in the neigh- 
borhood are dry, so the natives from the towns around 
come to our well for water. I -suppose there were as 



134 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

many as fifty or sixty round the well in every conceiva- 
ble attitude, all waiting with their jars to be filled, 
while a long string of women, with their jars on their 
heads, were coming and going. It really was a very 
pretty sight, and when you add to this, the rolling 
waves, the white sandy beach, and the deep rich green 
of the grass and foliage, you may imagine quite a pic- 
ture. 

In the morning Mr. Jones conducted service, inGrebo, 
in the church. I had two classes in Sunday School, in 
the afternoon : the one composed of colonists — our house 
servants ; the other, the married women from the native 
village — all Christians, educated in the school here. 
These classes I am to have charge of. After Sunday 
School, Harry, a colonist carpenter from the Cape, who 
is here building the boys' school-house, came to my 
room to read and hear God's word explained. He is 
over fifty years of age, but he is very anxious to learn 
to read his Bible well. At present he has to spell almost 
every word. 

We had service in the school-house in the evening. 
Mr. Jones read the service in English, but preached in 
Grebo. After our return to the parlor, we sang some 
hymns, and so closed our Sabbath. 

Visitors — There having been so little water 
lately, the girls are obliged to take their clothes some 
distance off to a running stream, to wash them. So on 
Monday mornings, for the present, our school duties are 
very much shortened. From four to five o'clock in the 
afternoon the ladies generally sit in the parlor, to re- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 135 

ceive all the natives who may choose to come " to look 
them." Formerly they used to be coming and going all 
day, hut it was found to interrupt the time so much, 
that the ladies determined to receive no visitors in the 
morning, unless it were sickness or some case of urgent 
necessity, but always some of them to be in the parlor 
at that hour of the afternoon, except Saturday and Sun- 
day. They have learnt this ; so always in the afternoon 
we have quite a number here, and they expect us fre- 
quently to dash them. Poor things ! they having noth- 
ing, literally nothing, themselves, our little posses- 
sions to them appear enormous. We went this after- 
noon into the Christian village. It consists of those 
who have been educated in the schools, and have married 
each other. Their houses all look very neat and nice. 
In the evening, Henry, the Bishop's factotum, came to 
me. He is to come an hour to study every evening. 
There is never any lack of work here. 



136 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



dljapfu %n. 



BADE. 

I find I get along better with the native children 
than I supposed I should at first. This afternoon I took 
one of the older girls as an interpreter, and went to 
town to visit some of the women. One, a poor old 
woman named Bade, is a leper — every joint is eaten off 
both hands and feet. She lives in a very little hut, but 
she is in a very happy frame of mind. She very rarely 
can get out, even to church, but she is a sincere Chris- 
tian, and talks to all her friends who come to see her 
about (rod's things. It is very pleasant to hear her talk. 

Miss Williford takes charge of the sewing-school three 
times a week — a great relief to me. 

Witchcraft. — Every little while something occurs 
to remind us we are in the midst of savages. The 
last day or two, a fine large vessel has been beating up 
and down the coast, in our sight. To-day she came to 
anchor about four miles off. Kade came in and told us 
a sad tale about her. She is an English vessel — has 
been down the coast, and now was on her return home, 
fully laden with corn, wood, and palm oil. She has a 
good many Kroomen on board, whom some months ago 
she took from Cape Palmas to work her on the coast, 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 137 

and now she was bringing them back to their homes, 
before she proceeded to England. Every white man on 
board of her, except the captain and steward, are dead. 
The fever has carried them all off. The captain lies very 
low, and is perfectly delirious, and the steward just 
able to crawl about, and give a few directions. They 
have met with so many disasters, bad winds, and such 
a number of deaths, that the Kroomen came to the con- 
clusion, that there must be " a witch" on board. They, 
therefore, accused one of their number of witchcraft. 
So they took him and tied him up in the rigging, giving 
him neither food or drink, in that hot sun. Each day 
they beat him severely. At the end of three days they 
let him down, tied a rope around his body, and flung 
him over into the sea* — keeping him under water till he 
was almost drowned. This they repeated three times. 
They then again tied him up in the rigging — beat- 
ing and starving him as before — but in two days after 
he was a corpse. They then flung the body into the 
sea, exulting that another witch was dead. Thus was 
this poor wretch tortured for a crime, of which it was 
utterly impossible he could be guilty. There was one 
far greater, far mightier, than them all, but whom they 
knew not. He it is thatholdeth the " winds in his fist, 
and the waves in the hollow of his hand." The victim 
was the uncle of one of our school boys — a very fine 
man. 

Does it not seem dreadful to know of such things 
taking place, and, yet, to be utterly powerless to prevent 
it ? "We shall send on board, to-morrow morning, to see 
if we can do anything to help them. Miss Willi ford has 



138 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 

sent information to the Cape to-night, that the governor 
may send down some one to take charge of the vessel up 
to the Cape. The Kroomen onboard know the coast, 
and where the vessel ought to go, and where she ought 
not, but they do not understand, steering her. She will 
have to lay at the Cape, either till the captain recovers 
and can get men, or till some other vessel arrives, to 
take charge of her. The captain will be there,- too, under 
the doctor's care. See how daily we have to feel the 
need of a hospital ! Mr. Hoffman came down this even- 
ing. When the Bishop is away he often comes to look 
after us. Two of the girls at the Asylum wrote me 
pretty little notes, and sent me a quantity of shells they 
had all been picking up for me. Mr. Dorsen came in 
this evening also. He brought me a beautiful shell. 
One of my school girls, also, brought me two nests of the 
rice bird. They know I am fond of collecting such 
things. These nests are very curiously built to avoid 
snakes and monkeys, who are very fond of the eggs and 
young birds. 

Saturday Afternoon. — One of our trusty men went 
on board the vessel. The captain was able to speak to 
him, but he left him, as he said, "just for dead." I 
always go into the girls' dormitory every night, to see 
that they are all safe. At nine o'clock a large bell rings, 
and then I send in a lantern to the girls' school-house, to 
be hung up in the passage, in the dormitory, between 
their rooms. At ten o'clock I go in myself, see that they 
are all safely there, and bring away the lantern ; and 
on Saturday morning every place, belonging to them, is 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 139 

scrubbed. So I look after it to see that it is done prop- 
erly. Saturday afternoons we always go to town, to 
visit the women. Miss Williford goes, with an interpre- 
ter, in one direction, and I, with mine, in another. To 
every one we meet, we always bow and say, " S ancle 
diade" Sunday to-morrow. The children, too, are all 
permitted to go to town, but all commissioned to tell 
to every one that the next day is the Sabbath — (rod's 
day. We also have a certain flag waving from the 
mission house, called the Saturday flag ; and on Sunday, 
there is another waves from the tower of the church. 
Thus, all means are used to make them " remember 
the Sabbath clay." Harriet Williams, one of the native 
Christian women, is my interpreter. She is an. exceed- 
ingly intelligent woman, has been well instructed, and 
thoroughly understands the teachings of the Sacred 
Scriptures. I have engaged her to come to me, three 
times a week, to teach me Grebo. Poor old Bade, the 
leper, is very feeble. The rats trouble her greatly 
at night. The disease affects every joint, and that ap- 
pears to attract these animals, and she is never without 
a very bad sore occasioned by their bites. I have sent 
her an old dress. I hope it may be some protection to 
her. She speaks very joyfully of her heavenly home. 

Sunday. — It is Sunday. After church; this morning, 
a number of my little girls came into my room ; and 
after Sunday-school, this afternoon, about a dozen of the 
elder girls came up, wanting me to show them pictures 
and talk to them about them. While conversing with 
them, as they all sat on the floor around me, I placed my 



140 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

hand on the shoulder of one of them, and said, " Girls, I do 
hope yon will soon learn to love me." They all exclaim- 
ed immediately, " We do; we do love you this time." 
And I believe they do. They all look so pleased when- 
ever they see me ; and the little ones ran to catch hold 
of my hand. I am very glad to observe this, for I 
always feel that a teacher can accomplish comparative- 
ly nothing without having a hold on the hearts of the 
pupils. I want them to obey me from love, not from 
fear. Much as I love to talk to them, however, I shall 
be obliged to tell them I cannot have them come to me 
on Sunday. I must have a little time to myself and for 
rest. But it is very hard to deny knowledge to those so 
eagerly inquiring after it. But prudence, prudence ; it is 
a very hard thing for an impulsive person to learn. Some 
man has died in town this afternoon. They have been 
firing guns, as their custom is, all the evening. We 
were not aware that any one was sick. Bat it is fre- 
quently the custom, when any one is ill, to hide them 
away. They think the sickness has been brought on by 
witchcraft, and so the person is concealed that the witch 
may not be able to exert any farther influence over him. 
Sometimes, the poor sick man (or woman) is hid away 
by his mother (they have more confidence in the 
mother than any other relation), in the conical roof; 
where, to add to his disease, he is almost suffocated. 
Sometimes he is carried off to a distance ; in fact, he is 
hidden anywhere that it is thought the supposed 
witch will not guess his whereabouts. Strange it is, 
that these poor deluded beings, knowing how liable they 
are, at any moment, to be accused of this crime, and to 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 141 

suffer its penalties, yet, whenever they have a severe 
quarrel with another, will be sure to utter, maliciously : 
" I'll witch you." This is always remembered, and 
should any great evil happen to the party, even twenty 
years after, the person who has uttered those words is 
sure to undergo the penalty. 

Wounds. — We have heard nothing more about the 
dead man. No sassa-wood ordeal this time. I have 
commenced the study of Grebo. I fear it will be slow 
work, however, as I have but little time to give to it. If 
we allowed the school children to talk to us, in that lan- 
guage, we should get along much faster ; but, though 
that would be for our benefit, it certainly would not be 
for theirs ; it is much more important that they should 
learn English. Our life here is pretty uniform ; plenty 
to do, and, I hope and trust, willing hearts to do it. 
Each hour through the week has its appointed duty, 
that we never have to stop and think, " what next." 
How much more can be accomplished where there is a 
regular system ! This place would not do for very fastid- 
ious ladies, who cannot dress a wound, and whose own 
feelings are so sensitive that they have no room left to 
feel for others. I used to feel deadly faint and sick at 
the sight of a wound, or of blood. But I learnt to look upon 
it as a purely selfish feeling ; giving way to our own weak- 
nesses, instead of throwing them off, and exerting ourselves 
for the good of the sufferer ; I determined, therefore, if pos- 
sible, to conquer this morbid sensitiveness, and I have pret- 
ty well succeeded, though not entirely, as I could wish, yet 
sufficiently, so as to enable me to render assistance in suf- 
fering. We are here constantly called upon to adminis- 



142 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

ter healing balm to the bodies, as well as the souls, of 
these benighted ones. They think the white man can 
do everything. " He have all wisdom," and they place 
perfect confidence in his power. Sometimes, however, 
the sights are disgusting, and we turn away with a 
sickening feeling. But, then, we must call to mind Him 
who " went about healing all manner of sickness and 
disease among the people ;" and we must remember 
how loathsome and disgusting our leprous souls must be 
in His eyes, and yet the Great Physician does not dis- 
dain, on that account, to stretch forth His hand to help 
us. My little Thomas has contrived to cut off part of 
his toe, and I have had a very sore wound to dress ; and 
this morning a young woman came to me from the town 
with a finger almost chopped off ; all the bone laid bare 
— it looked dreadful. We have found the most effectual 
way of treating these flesh wounds, when fresh done, is 
first to bathe them well with warm water — so as to be 
sure that all the parts are clean, and then to put on raw 
cotton soaked in laudanum ; it smarts dreadfully for a 
few seconds, but stops the bleeding, and heals soon. 
This is bound up tight, and left for two or three days, so 
the air may not come to it, then it is carefully washed 
and cerate put to it each day. It soon is quite well. 

Sickness. — The poor girl has been again to have her 
hand dressed ; it looks better. She seems to feel quite 
grateful. More little notes from the girls at the Asylum. 
It is very pleasant to receive them, only it involves the 
necessity of answering them, and my time ! my time ! 
the days are not half long enough for all we want to do. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 143 

The vessel that was out here was taken, some days ago, 
to Cape Palmas. Under kind care and treatment, the 
captain is rapidly recovering. There is another English 
vessel just pat in there, from down the coast. The 
captain of that is well, but he has lost all but two of his 
men. They may have to remain there some time, before 
they can pick up men enough from other vessels to take 
them home. It is very sickly this season down the 
coast. I hope (rod will preserve our missionary friends 
there. I am often struck with the absurd reasoning of 
worldly men ; when they hear of the death of a mis- 
sionary, in this baneful clime, they say we ought to take 
it as an indication that God does not mean Africa to be 
Christianized by our instrumentality, and that it is 
throwing away our lives, in fact tempting Providence, to 
go there ; but there is an old adage, " It is a poor rule 
that won't work both ways." They never think, how- 
ever, of applying it in this way, no matter how many 
lives are lost on the coast in pursuit of worldly wealth — 
ah ! that is nothing — they never think it is a divine in- 
dication that they must give up all commerce, all pur- 
suit of wealth here. Now, since I have been here, in a 
few months — -just between here and Lagos — seventeen 
seamen have perished of fever ; not a third that number 
of missionaries have died in as many years. Do the 
owners of these vessels think they must never send them 
forth again ? Is not the health and life of each seaman 
as dear to him and his family, as the missionary's is to 
him ? Is not the fever as acute suffering to the one, as 
to the other ? Is the poor, (often) ignorant, debased 
and vicious seaman, surer that, the moment he dies, 



144 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

death shall be swallowed up in victory, that he will 
enter the haven of eternal rest, where all tears will be 
wiped from every eye ? These flimsy pretences to phi- 
lanthropy , in regard to the welfare of the missionary, are 
too often made to conceal the entire want of feeling. These 
persons are generally afraid that their pockets will suffer, 
and, therefore, they say : " Oh, no! we won't give you 
anything — we consider it wrong, decidedly wrong, for 
missionaries to expose themselves to the perils of such a 
clime." Let these persons carry out their principles, and, 
as far as they can, prevent all commerce, of every de- 
scription, with such a clime, and so prevent the sickness 
and death of so many seamen there ; for surely, if it is 
not worth the missionary's while to peril his life, that he 
may win the choicest jewels that shall shine in the 
Redeemer's crown to all eternity, it cannot be worth the 
seaman's while to peril his, for a little, worthless dross, 
that will perish with the using. 

Moonlight. — Paddock walked up to see me to-day. I 
like him very much. He said he came to bring me a 
little of the fruits of his garden—a few egg-plants and 
some tomatoes. They grow very well here, but very 
small. I felt quite pleased with this little attention 
from him. The poor little diseased child is dead ; he 
was very decently buried. He is now safe at home ! — 
safe at home ! He had none here on earth, but he 
has now joined the happy band, to be forever with 
the Lord. It is a splendid moonlight night ; the effect, 
through the cocoa-nut trees, is very beautiful. But, oh, 
dear! it is a great fall — after your ideas have been 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 145 

wrought up to the highest pitch of sublimity, by the 
magnificence of the moonlight on the surrounding scene, 
and the ever-rolling surf — to go into your room, and 
descend to the most unpleasant task of hunting cock- 
roaches. I do not know why it is, but there is some- 
thing repulsive and disgusting about these animals. 

Prayer. — Friday afternoons Miss Williford has a 
prayer-meeting for the Christian women of the village, 
and the older school-girls, who are members of the 
Church. This afternoon, she had a swelled face, so I 
conducted it for her. She always calls on one of the 
women to pray in Grebo. I was surprised at the length 
of the prayer, and the ease and fluency with which it 
was spoken. — " Grod will work, and who shall let." 

Lowliness. — The girls often come to my room, when 
they think I have a few minutes to spare, for me to show 
them how to do something. Some of them are trying to 
make patchwork. In one of the huts we visited to-day, 
there was quite a little congregation collected. Harriet 
"Williams is an excellent interpreter ; being conversant 
with Scripture, she can explain and enforce all that we 
say. She generally carries her little baby with her. Chil- 
dren are placed in saddles on the back, fastened on 
with straps around the waist, and over the shoulder, 
leaving both arms free. When we go to town, we 
always put on the commonest clothes we can wear ; for 
going into the smoky huts, and then sitting on a small 
block of wood on the ground, does not tend either to 
cleanse or improve your clothing. When I first used to 

7 



146 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

go into their huts, I would sit down on the chest, which 
you almost always find in them, but I found that the 
smoke almost blinded me ; at length, I tried the block 
of wood on the floor, and 1 soon found that in this case, 
as in most others, " with the lowly is wisdom." When 
you go home, you must be careful, also, not to touch 
anything till you have given your hands a good scrub- 
bing, as the hands you have to shake are not always in 
the highest state of cleanliness, particularly those of the 
children ; and, should you happen to be a favorite 
amongst them (children are good physiognomists — they 
soon know who loves them), numbers of these will follow 
you, each saying, as they stick out a dirty hand, " Tomo 
kwa" — touch my hand ; and they seem quite disap- 
pointed if you refuse. 

The Bodia.— The (xreboes have a number of customs, 
that seem to me as if they had a Jewish origin. Each 
town has a Bodia # , or high priest, who, when he is in- 
stalled into this office, is anointed, as is also his house. 
He is the principal man in their religious ceremonies ; he 
it is who offers the sacrifices, &c. ; but his office is very 
undesirable, as he is made accountable for bad weather, 
failure of the crops, and a variety of other ills that may 
befall the people ; and he most frequently ends his days 
by sassa-wood, for some imaginary misdemeanor. This 
office is hereditary in certain families, though not to the 
eldest son. Any member of the family may be selected, 
on the death of the old Bodia, to fill his place, and he is 

* See Mrs. Scott's " Day Dawn," for full account. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRrCA. 147 

obliged to take it immediately; the position must not be 
left vacant a day. Nya, our gardener, was the son of 
the old Bodia ; and, when his father died, they deter- 
mined to make him Bodia (he was not then a Christian), 
but he ran away and hid himself, to escape it — and, as 
the office must be filled directly, they were obliged to 
choose another member of the family. The Bodia, and 
his head wife, never work on a farm ; but all the people 
must pay him a tithe of what they raise. He always 
carries a monkey skin, as a badge of office ; and when 
he sits down, it must always be on this. He and his 
head wife must never, at one time, be absent from the 
hut. It must always be open, and one or other of them 
present. The fire must never go out in the hut. 
They have no idea where their fire first came, or how it 
was obtained, for they say they never were without it. 
Shall I tell you of one visit we made ? We went into 
a hut, which was quite large, and hung round with 
plenty of plates and dishes : it had three doors, These 
door3 are merely pieces of the wall or side of the hut, 
that can be removed at pleasure. The whole of the 
roof, up to the very apex of the cone, was piled up with 
wood, arranged very neatly on a frame, made for the 
purpose. There was a bright fire blazing in the little 
triangular fire-place, emitting volumes of smoke. As 
we entered, a bright, pleasant-looking woman, who had 
been peeling cassadas, with a troupe of little, naked 
children around her, arose, and came forward to welcome 
us. She pushed towards each of us a log to sit upon, 
and then seated herself beside us — one child between 
her knees, another beside her, and all listened most 



148 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

attentively to the "Word of Life, as interpreted by Har- 
riet. At the other door of the house a woman had been 
standing, beating palm-nuts in a mortar — (these are so 
large that the women always stand, when employed 
about this work) — but she, too, gradually stopped her 
w T ork, and drew near to listen. My little boy, Thomas, 
is sitting at my feet ; he always follows me everywhere, 
and sits very quietly. God grant, that we may have 
faith to believe that the Word may take root, " that it 
shall not return unto him void." Can you picture us ? 
"Would that I could not only show you the scenes these 
eyes see, but that I could fill you with the same earnest 
longings, the same intense desires for the temporal and 
eternal interests of these poor people, then, I am sure 
there would be a full supply of laborers. 

Cannibals. — These people have all been cannibals. 
There is, probably, not a man, thirty years of age, who 
has not feasted on humati flesh ; it does not appear 
with them to be a relish for this kind of food, but it is 
done to show the greatest contempt and derision for their 
enemies, as it is only those taken in battle whom they 
thus devour. Many of their prisoners, however, are pre- 
served as slaves. These, in general, are treated well, 
and are, in most respects, as well off, as any other mem- 
bers of the household. But I have heard that there is a 
tribe of savages, about eighty miles back of Monrovia, 
that are regular cannibals, not merely devouring their 
enemies taken in battle, but feeding on one another. 
How fearful it is ! Mi^s Williford was lausrhinsr at me 
to-night, and saying, it is such hungry times now with 
these poor people, that, a little distance back, I should 



EVERY-DAY LIFE m AFRICA. 149 

stand but a poor chance, as I appear to be in such good 
condition. I have no ambition, however, to run any- 
such risk. 

Atonement. — How even the most degraded of human 
beings feel their guilt, and need of an atonement. 
Among this people they have a custom, before going to 
war, for the whole tribe, consisting sometimes of several 
towns, to meet together, and confess their sins to one 
another — the sins or offences I mean that they have 
committed the one against the other, perhaps some deed 
committed years ago. They then make restitution, and 
offer a sacrifice to the kwi (devils) ; unless they do this, 
they think they will not prosper in battle. 

Self-Denial. — In Christian lands, we can hardly 
imagine the strength of mind and the grace it requires 
to maintain a consistent Christian profession among the 
heathen. Two of the poor Christians, in town, were 
sorely tempted yesterday. It is very hungry times with 
them now ; and the continued dry weather we are 
having, makes them fear for their growing crops. A 
great devil-doctor has been summoned, who, after various 
incantations, has ordered three bullocks to be offered to 
the Kwi, in sacrifice. Every man in town is compelled 
to pay his part towards this, Christians as well as 
others. After they have performed many ceremonies 
over this sacrifice, it is divided, and a portion given to 
each family to eat. These Christians, true to their pro- 
fession, (though suffering as much from the want of 
food as others) refused to take their share, as the Bible 



150 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

expressly forbids us to eat meat offered to idols. Was 
not this a great act of faith and love, probably, far more 
acceptable to Grod than many of the mighty deeds per- 
formed by Christians in other lands ? — An heroic deed of 
self-denial. 

The Well. — To-day, I was forcibly reminded of the 
Scripture account of the strife of Abraham's and Lot's 
servants about the water. I have told you before that, 
in consequence of the drought, all the springs are drying 
up ; and the people, from a great distance, come here to 
the well to obtain water. The scene is certainly very 
picturesque. I never tire gazing at it. The well is of 
the simplest construction, covered by a flat platform of 
planks, and the water raised by turning a crank. It is 
dug in a hollow — the coarse grass, very green and fresh, 
around it, and completely surrounded by cocoa-nut and 
palm-trees, with their beautiful foliage, forming a fine 
shade, while scores of women are continually disputing 
and contending for their turn to draw. Twice to-day,Miss 
Williford has been obliged to go out and settle a " pala- 
ver" about the well. 

Begging. — A poor colonist woman has come down 
from the Cape, begging. Last week, while she and her 
child were away gathering palm-nuts, her house took 
fire ; and when she returned, she found it burnt to the 
ground, with all her worldly goods. The all was not 
much, but then it was her all — and she a widow. We 
have such constant and unceasing demands on our 
charity — and really so deserving are the objects — that it 




'W 



* J^,. 



7^ 



The Fan Palm of Gavalla, W. Af 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 151 

is so hard to deny, and yet so hard to supply. The 
missionary's salary is small, and his heart often large ; 
but if we cannot do much, v^ can show our willingness 
by our mite. 

Daily Duties. — I gave you my daily routine of labor 
at the Cape. I will tell you now what it is here. I 
rise at six o'clock, and read till half-past seven ; then we 
have prayers for the family, in English. Mr. Jones con- 
ducting prayers with the children — all, boys and girls, 
(nearly a hundred) meeting in the girls' school-house at 
seven. "We breakfast at eight, then a few minutes to 
study Grebo. A little before nine, I go into the girls' 
school-house, up into the dormitory, and all around, to 
see that everything is neat, and in order. From nine 
till half-past one in school, without a moment's inter- 
mission. When I come out of school, I always find either 
an orange or some other refreshment placed in my room 
by the loving hands of our good hostess. Then Julia 
and Mary, our two housemaids, come to my room for 
instruction in reading and writing. I am very tired, but 
this is the only time I can give them. Two afternoons 
in the week, Miss Williford has sewing-school. I take 
my work after dinner, go into the parlor to receive the 
native visitors, (who are numerous) and take my Grebo 
books to try and study a little, if I can. The other three 
afternoons, I have my Grebo teacher, and Grebo dic- 
tionary to write. The Bishop, three afternoons in the 
week, preaches in different towns, when he is at home. 
At half-past six the candles are lighted, and then Henry 
James comes to me, till tea-time. After tea, prayers ; 



152 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

by this time it is eight o'clock. We get our work, and 
sit down together ; presently, Mr. Bacon will come to 
me to spell ; and Mrs. Bristow, our cook, to Miss Wilii- 
ford. There is another half hour. Then, there is al- 
ways some interruptions ; some of the girls or hoys have 
either headache or toothache. With a household of over 
a hundred, there is always something wanting. It is 
impossible to tell the multiplicity of things to look after. 
We settle to sewing about nine o'clock. At ten, we 
shut up the house. I go into the dormitory to look after 
the children. On returning to my room, I write for an 
hour — journal, letters, &c. My bed generally receives 
a pretty wearied body ; but sleep is sweet. Such is my 
daily routine. I say little of the employments, &c, of 
the other missionaries, except as it comes in connection 
with my own ; but every one of us has every moment 
employed, only I am writing my own experiences. A 
vessel has anchored off here, to-day ; the captain sent 
us some late papers. It is very rare for a vessel to 
lay off here, except for the purpose of obtaining Kroo- 
men, as the coast is so bad, it is impossible to land any 
goods. 

Surgery. — Miss Williford is sorely troubled with 
boils ; she could not go to town to-day. We found 
Bade very sick ; if it were not for the mission, she 
would die of absolute starvation. The rats gnaw at 
her, even through her dress. In passing through the 
town I heard a number of women's voices, uttering 
something between a wail and a song ; and, directly, we 
saw a number of women and children collected in front 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 153 

of a hut singing (or howling) and dancing. A woman 
had just been buried, and thus they were mourning for 
her. While sitting in another hut, we saw a number 
of men passing, and, among them, one covered with 
blood, whom the others appeared to be helping. Har- 
riet went out, and in a few minutes returned, and asked 
me to go w T ith her. In the enclosure of a hut, close by, 
was the poor man I had just seen ; he appeared to be 
fearfully injured ; he was uttering a low, wailing sound, 
was sitting on a stone, and looking deadly faint. I 
called for some water, made them give him some to 
drirlk, and bathe his face. A man, standing beside him, 
was shaving his head, with a rough, blunt piece of iron, 
disclosing four fearful, gaping wounds, any one of which 
looked as if it might have killed him. He had another 
dreadful wound, directly across the knee-pan. His 
canoe had upset, and he had been dashed upon some 
iagged rocks. He was a Bushman (a man from in- 
land) ; he had never seen a white lady before. I hur- 
ried up home, prepared clothes, &c, and came back. 
Upon washing the wounds, I had to remove five splin- 
ters of bone. I bound up his wounds, and told him to 
let them remain so, till I opened them. Poor creatures ! 
in suffering, they have no idea of tenderness towards 
one another. It really w r as dreadful to see the torture 
inflicted on him by the way in which his head was 
scraped. 

Heroism. — Miss Williford not able to be at church to- 
day. To night Mrs. Gillet, our assistant teacher, had a 
bad sick headache, and went to lay down. Just as the 

7* 



154 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



sermon commenced, however, she came to the door, and 
beckoned to me. I went to her, and found that one ol 
our little girls, about ten years old, had, during the day, 
picked up a needle, and had stuck it in the front of her 
dress, and in kneeling down to prayers, she had leaned 
against it, and the needle had run into her breast, and 
entirely disappeared, though upon pressing, we could 
see about where the head was — it had gone in, point 
foremost. I took her immediately into my room, and 
made a slight opening with a needle, but could do no 
good — it must be lanced. She bore it very patiently. 
We are fearful lest it should have touched the lungs, as 
it hurts her every breath she draws. Mrs. Grillet will 
take her to the Cape, early to-morrow morning, to the 
doctor. * 

Mrs. Grillet has come back, with little Sophia. The 
doctor has probed, but though he once saw the needle, 
he could not get hold of it. He has put on her a plaster, 
and hopes that it will work out, without doing her any 
harm. Mrs. Grillet wanted to leave her, for a day or two, 
at the asylum, but she would not stay. Think of the 
poor child having endured that pain, and yet walked 
twenty-two miles to-day. 

Poor Matha Owen died at the asylum yesterday. She 
sleeps in Jesus. Her end was peace. 

Sassa-wood. — Yesterday afternoon a man passed in 
front of the house, dressed up very fine — a white and 
red cotton umbrella, (this, in their estimation, is splen- 
did), carried over him by a friend. He was followed by 
a train of boys and women. This was a triumphal pro- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 155 

cession — he had escaped the effects of the Sassa-wood. 
In town they are having a " grand palaver" about the 
man who was killed on board the ship, that I spoke of, 
(as if a person is suppled to be a witch, the Sassa or- 
deal is the only lawful way of trying him), and now 
this man having escaped, they will try others. Last night 
we heard a great howling and screaming, proceeding from 
the town, and we found it was the lamentations of the 
friends of another man, whom they had caught, and to 
whom they are about to administer it. Though many 
innocent persons suffer by this poison, yet were it not 
for the fear of it, there would be no end to the fearful 
crimes committed. 

I often feel — to wonder at ourselves — the perfect free- 
dom from fear that we have — two white ladies alone, 
without any gentlemen, with about a dozen Christian 
men near us, and surrounded by a hungry, almost 
famishing population of thousands of savages, and we 
known by them to have in our possession food enough 
for many weeks (till we get supplies again from Amer- 
ica) to support our family of over a hundred. Is it not 
a wonder that they do not break in and steal it ? But 
we lay down and sleep in perfect peace and safety, know- 
ing that the " Watchman of Israel never slumbers nor 
sleeps. 

Surgery. — To-day I have been quite a doctress. 
These things still make me feel a little faint and sick, 
but I battle with those feelings. First, I looked a little 
to Miss "Williford's boils ; but Mary is very good ; she 
attends to her very nicely. Then I put a drawing plas- 



156 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 

ter on Sophia, and after it had drawn awhile, I could 
see the needle moving about under the flesh. I probed 
the wound, making the incision a little deeper, but I 
could not get hold of the needle. Then the poor Bush- 
man that was injured came. I intended to have 
gone to him, but he came up into the school-room to me, 
I had hardly thought it would be possible for him to live. 
Two of the wounds had fractured the bone of the skull. 
I removed several more small splinters. I was full 
two hours dressing and attending to his wounds. I fear 
now very much about his log — just on the knee-pan 
quite a large piece is completely gone. He is a wild 
Bushman — one who probably would not have hesitated 
to make a good meal of me, if he had found me back 
in his country. He speaks but very little Grrebo — the 
girls can scarcely understand him, but he appears very 
grateful. 

I could not help thinking to-day, how the precious 
Word of God is a rule and guide to us in every position 
in which we may be placed. I had a number of the 
older girls in the room, while I was attending to the 
man, as I wish them to learn how to do these things 
themseWes. "When attending to the man's knee, of 
course he could not bend it, so I had to kneel down to 
dress it, at which all the girls set up a loud scream 
of laughter. I am keenly alive to ridicule, even from 
these poor people, and my first impulse was to spring up 
from my humble position, feeling that it was a degrada- 
tion to me, far beneath my dignity, to assume such a 
position here, when the remembrance of the blessed 
Saviour's words and example checked me, when he 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 157 

knelt and washed his disciples' feet, and said to .them, 
"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your 
feet, ye ought also to wash one anothers' feet." How 
hard it is to root out pride from the human heart. After- 
wards I opened and dressed a very bad boil on the arm 
of one of the girls. So much for my surgery. I am 
getting along bravely. The Bishop is very good with all 
these things, when he is at home — he is quite a doctor. 

I have nailed all my daguerreotypes up in my room. 
It is so pleasant to feel I can look up and see my friends 
without having to hinder my time in going to open them. 

Our rains have commenced. We seldom have a con- 
tinuously wet day, but violent storms and hurricanes 
come on without a moment's notice. It is this that 
makes navigation on the coast so dangerous. The sea- 
man has hardly time to furl his sails. 

I dressed the wounded man again. Really, I am 
beginning to have some faith in my own skill in that 
line — all the wounds in the head, except one, from which 
another small piece of bone had to be abstracted, are 
fast getting well, and that will soon. His father has 
sent two men from the Bash country to carry him home, 
but he thinks he will be able to get along himself, though 
still very lame. 

Sick Man. — In one of the huts, in town to-day, I 
found a young man evidently in the last stage of con- 
sumption. He had been a Krooman and could speak con- 
siderable English. I asked him " if he knew anything 
of Grod and Jesus Christ." He said, " Me know a little 
what Payne (the Bishop) teach me." I asked him if he 



158 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

ever prayed to God. " Not now ; me did when me go 
to school, but now me never do ; me want to pray, but 
now me no sabby how." (Sabby is to understand.) 
I then asked him w T hen he went to school. He said, 
" A long time pass — much time — me no sabby how 
long, but me only go five — six weeks, and then me be 
bad boy — me run away ; but it no pass me what him 
tell to me — it here" (pointing to his head). I talked to 
him some time, and when I went away I told him not 
to forget to pray. He said, "Me no forget, me can't 
forget ; God's things in my mind all the time." Do not 
such cases make us take courage to " cast our bread upon 
the waters, knowing we shall find it after many days." 

Cannibalism. — There is a man that comes here to the 
house very frequently. I have had an intuitive horror of 
him, though I heard he was a Christian. Speaking of 
him to-day, I found he had been a dreadful man — a great 
cannibal ; and he confessed that his great delight had 
been in tormenting his victim, cutting and hacking him 
to pieces. He is a striking example of the power of Di- 
vine grace upon the heart. " The lion has become the 
lamb." But his countenance still bears the marked 
characteristics of cruelty and barbarity, though subdued. 
He has a dreadful eye. But he has now for years been 
a consistent Christian. 

We heard to-night that two of the tribes up the river 
are at war, and one of the tribes took three men of the 
others prisoners. They were immediately killed and 
eaten ! Hungry times here, as elsewhere, are quarrel- 
some times. May God give to these poor people the 
bread of life. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 159 

French Emigrant Vessel. — Mr. Ashton and Mr. 
Cooper, two of our most respectable colonists, came down 
from the Cape. Mr. Cooper has just been giving us an 
account that he had from the captain of an English 
steamer that is at the Cape. It seems a company of 
Frenchmen have pledged themselves to furnish laborers 
for Guiana. They have fitted out four vessels, which 
they have despatched to this coast, under the pretext of 
hiring laborers. But as soon as the poor wretches get 
on board the vessel, expecting only to be emigrants, they 
find they are slaves. Well> one of these vessels was lying 
off Cape Mount, the most northern part of Liberia. She 
had her full complement of men made-up ; the captain 
had just sent his last gang, consisting of about thirty, on 
board, while he remained on shore to finish his business. 
But when this lastset reached the vessel, (many of them 
stout, hardy Kroomen, used to the sea,) they found that, 
instead of being treated as emigrants, they were to be 
treated as slaves, and the sailors were about to handcuff 
them. This did not suit them ; they knew better. So, 
immediately they all fell on the sailors, and killed every 
white man on board, thirteen in number. They then 
went down into the hold, and found a quantity of poor 
creatures, all handcuffed, and stowed away — regular 
slave-ship fashion. They released them from confine- 
ment, but could not tfnmanacle them. When the can- 
tain came from shore, they all threatened him with their 
guns ; and having no arms, and not one white man left, 
he was obliged to hurry back to land. The Kroomen let 
out the sails, and put out to sea, but had no idea how to 
steer. After beating about for seven days, the English 



160 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

mail steamer passed near, and seeing this strange vessel, 
with no colors, and apparently none but blacks on board, 
they determined to board her. At first the blacks were 
disposed to show fight, thinking it a French vessel ; but 
as soon as they saw the English colors (Grod bless Eng- 
land for it !) they quietly submitted. The English soon 
saw that in all her outfit, &c, she was neither more nor 
less than a slaver. The steamer took her in tow, sent 
on shore for her captain, and, as a prisoner, brought him 
to Monrovia. He was there placed in prison, to be tried ; 
the blacks set at large, each one going on shore carry- 
ing his handcuffs in his hand, from which he could not 
be prevailed to part, as they will make him a grand 
ornament. Most of the Kroomen will be retained as wit- 
nesses, and it is supposed the vessel will be awarded to 
them as a prize. 

The next day a French steamer arrived at Monrovia, 
and demanded the vessel, the captain declaring she was 
an emigrant vessel, not a slaver. The British consul re- 
fused ; upon which the Frenchman said he would fight, 
and take her by force. But just then an English man- 
of-war appeared, showing her teeth, very fortunately, or, 
I should say, providentially, as the mail steamer was 
obliged to proceed. Upon this the Frenchman drew in 
his horns. Two days after this, an American man-of-war 
arrived ; upon which the Englishman left the vessel in 
care of the American, while he came down to Cape 
Palmas, to look after the captain, with his vessel, who 
has been detained here so long by sickness. Surely God 
will bless England, and make her a blessing, so long as 
she advocates the cause of mercy. Is it to be wondered 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 161 

at that the natives here fear and hate the white man, 
and distrust his religion ? 

Mr. Hoffman, we have heard, has been ill all the week, 
but is a little better to-day. Miss Ball's health still re- 
mains miserable. The doctor has told her he believes she 
will have to return and remain at home. Her constitu- 
tion, he says, is too robust ; the fever takes too firm hold 
of her. I hope and pray it may not be so ; we need 
more laborers, not fewer. But it is (rod's work ; it will 
go on. We are looking daily for the Bishop now. I 
hope it will not be long before he arrives. I am very 
busy making my scholars review their lessons, prepara- 
tory to the examination, which will take place in about 
a month. 

Cruelty. — These people are not generally a cruel peo- 
ple, even when they are cannibals. They generally will 
despatch their prisoners at one blow, not torture them. 
Recently, however, a man went up the river from our 
town, to trade. He was seized by a tribe, with whom 
the Greboes are at enmity, and having been himself al- 
ways a very cruel man, he was fearfully tortured. He 
was bound to a stake, a fire being kindled at a little dis- 
tance from him ; then, with long, sharp-pointed knives, 
slices were cut off his body, and roasted on the point of 
the knife, and then held up and eaten in derision before 
his eyes. This was continued slowly, for some hours, 
till finally both arms and legs were cut off, before he ex- 
pired ! May the glad tidings of " good will to men" 
soon spread in all the land. 

I am teaching several of the older girls different kinds 



162 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

of fancy-work. Such things would meet with a ready 
sale among the richer inhabitants of the colony, and may 
be a means of livelihood to them. After the children 
have been brought from heathenism, instructed in our 
schools, and civilized, they all want some means of liv- 
ing. We have native ministers, teachers, carpenters, 
farmers, masons, washwomen, and needlewomen, and 
they all try to earn a respectable living. 

Cold. — The old saying, in ridicule, of " Red flannel 
waistcoats for the little negroes of the West Indies," is 
not really so much of a burlesque. This rainy weather 
they suffer with cold, and nothing is more acceptable to 
them than a piece of flannel. We are having new shirts 
made for the younger boys, of red flannel. We have 
just heard from the Bishop ; he expects to be home in a 
few days. There is a probability of our welcoming more 
laborers here in the fall. Grod grant it. We need them 
much. Mr. Hoffman requires relief ; but it is hard to 
lay by with so much to be done. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 163 



SASSA ORDEAL. 

To-day I have seen the first death by sassa-wood. 
Last week a number of Kroomen came home, from a 
long voyage, among them two young men, belonging to 
our towns. I believe I told you that we were directly in 
the midst of five different towns, all within a circuit of 
half a mile. These contain, all together, about five thous- 
and inhabitants. These two young men belonged to 
different towns, and, on their voyage, they had quarreled 
fiercely, and one had been heard to say he would 
" witch the other." This other almost immediately fell, 
sick, and was brought home very ill. His friends 
directly, of course, accused his companion of having 
witched him. And here was shown a strong proof of a 
mother's love, even in this land. Hearing that her son 
was accused of being a witch, she was in the greatest 
agony. He was her only child ; a fine, noble-looking 
young man. He had been away from her a long time, 
and had received good wages for his services ; and 
though these wages are always taken by the headman 
of the family (their customs being truly patriarchal), and 
divided among all the members of the family, yet, by 
far, the largest portion always falls to the share of him who 
earns it. The mother was looking forward to spending 



164 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

many happy days with her son ; for if there is a 
human "being a man loves here, it is his mother. Think, 
then, what her anguish must be at such an accusation. 
She went off, three days ago, privately into the woods ; ob- 
tained a large piece of sassa-wood, came home, pounded and 
prepared it, then she called a number of the head- 
men and others of the townspeople, to see her drink this, 
to prove that her son was no witch. She drank it all, 
but rejecting it, again she triumphed. The people, how- 
ever, were not satisfied. They said it only proved that 
she had not witched the sick man, but it did not prove 
that her son had not done so. This morning, Sunday, 
they seized him very early, and administered the poison. 
We knew nothing about it, till a little while before ser- 
vice, we heard loud yells, shouts, and hootings, mingled 
with the most heart-rending shrieks, proceeding from 
the direction of the town. On going out on the piazza, 
we saw a great crowd issuing from the town. The man 
was dead. They had a rope tied round his feet, and so 
dragged him, several hundred yards, on the beach — 
directly in front of the mission premises. The poor moth- 
er followed the corpse, uttering the wildest screams, and 
with most frantic gestures. The rest of the crowd, 
among whom were scores of little children, thus early 
taught to be unfeeling and cruel, were hooting, shouting, 
laughing, and pelting the corpse with stones, and what- 
ever missiles came to hand. After awhile the crowd be- 
gan to retire, leaving the poor mother almost alone in 
her grief. But how can I portray to you the extremity 
of her anguish. To me it was heart-rending. She 
dashed herself about, in the sand, seeming, as it were, to 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 165 

bite the very earth ; throwing the sand over herself, as 
if she would have buried herself with her sorrows. Then 
she would jump suddenly up, and, frantically, embrace 
the corpse, pressing it tightly to her ; then gently laying 
it back on the sand, she would fling her arms, wildly, 
up toward heaven, as if invoking mercy and pity from 
the clouds. Poor thing ! she had no Grod to invoke. 
Her grief was hopeless despair. Her loved one was 
gone from her forever — for, in the spirit land, witches 
may never mingle with other spirits. They have a sep- 
arate burial-place, in a swampy part of the bush, where 
the body is just thrown, not buried. But it must remain 
exposed, on the beach, till the family has found a bul- 
lock. This is first offered, in sacrifice, to the Kivi, and 
then divided among the townspeople. While we were 
in the church, from whence the voice of praise and 
thanksgiving was ascending, from native lips, to the 
precious Saviour, we still, at intervals, heard the dis- 
tracting cries of the poor lone one, on the beach, who had 
no Saviour. How my heart bled for her, and never did 
my prayers ascend more fervently for this benighted 
land ; and I felt, how gladly, had I ten lives, I would lay 
them down to aid in Africa's regeneration. What are 
the privations, the toils, the sickness, we endure here, in 
comparison to the utter despair and heart-rending hope- 
lessness, from which it is our aim to rescue these wretch- 
ed sufferers ? 

Valentine. — It is Whit-Sunday. Oh! that the Holy 
Ghost may be poured out abundantly upon us, and upon 
those committed to our care. Mr. Jones being ill to-day, 



166 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

so we had the services conducted by Valentine, one of our 
native Christian villagers. He never was in school. He 
was converted after he became a man, and then he 
learned to read, and for the last ten years he has been a 
most humble, earnest, devoted, and consistent Christian. 
He has the Kroo-mark on his face, but the " beauty of 
holiness" is stamped there, too. You could not look at 
that man without feeling that he was a Christian. The 
Christians all work here. They feel that when they are 
called into the vineyard, it is as laborers. Saturday is a 
general holiday, or rest day ; none of the men work. 
On the Sabbath they do — Sunday work. For between 
our services they scatter about into all the towns, for 
miles distant, to carry the glad tidings, which has been 
made known to them. Valentine is one of the most 
faithful of these. 

Wounds. — When I came out of school to-day, I felt 
very bad. I had just flung myself, for an instant, on the 
bed, when I heard a loud knock at my door ; on opening 
it, there stood a fine looking native I had never seen be- 
fore. He exclaimed, hurriedly, " Please, sir — maam, 
oh, come ! here be a boy — he cut him hand much, plen- 
ty." I went out and found a fine looking young girl, 
about fourteen (they make no distinction of gender 
in talking, always addressing a lady either as mammy 
or as sir-ma'am, putting both together as one word). 
She had cut off the top part of the middle finger of her 
left hand. She must have had a very sharp instrument, 
for it had cut through the nail, leaving about an eighth of 
it, and through the bone, taking the niece quite off. It 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 167 

was cut perfectly clean through the nail, not the least 
jagged. Poor child ; she did not utter a sound. It was 
bleeding profusely. The powers of endurance of these peo- 
ple are very strong. The man was very gentle, in 
assisting me to dress the w r ound, and I then found 
she was his wife. " Why," I said, " so little." " Oh !" 
he said, " he be much good ; he grow plenty ; me take 
good care of him ; me tank you much, plenty ; you 
make he finger well." They think the Kobi, foreigners, 
to be great devil men. They can do everything. " They 
wisdom plenty." Mr. Hoffman came down to-day. He 
looks very bad. Miss Ball is slightly improving. Our 
store of rice is almost done, and there is very little to be 
sold at the Cape. Miss Williford has secured all she 
can. It is a great anxiety to provide for so many mouths 
in times of scarcity. "We use at the rate of fifteen bush- 
els of rice a week. Well, " our Heavenly Father knoweth 
that we need those things," and we must trust that 
" the Lord will provide." 

Thomas. — The mother of my little boy, Thomas, came, 
to-day, to see him. She is very much alarmed about him, 
as there is a deadly hatred between the Grraway and the 
Cavalla people, and she is afraid of his being witched. 
That belief of witchcraft is just as firmly held as any of 
our doctrines is by us. I consented to let him go home 
for a visit. I shall miss him much, though. Miss Wil- 
liford tells me I had better let him go to school, either at 
Spring Hill or at Hoffman station. She thinks I shall 
never be able to keep him here now, his mother has 
taken that notion ; she will be forever fetching him 



168 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

away. In that case I had better let him go to one of the 
other schools. Two of the girls, about seventeen years 
of age, come in every day to attend to my room. I am 
trying to teach them to be neat. Already they can 
make my bed, and sweep, and dust very well. It is an 
additional care to me, but they are good girls. They 
are engaged to two of our Christian young men, and I 
want them to know how to be neat about a house. 

The Bishop's Arrival. — This morning, early, we saw 
a large ship off on the edge of the horizon. I told Miss 
Williford I thought it looked like a man-of-war, and I 
believed the Bishop was on board of her. She thought it 
was nonsense ; that I could not tell a man-of-war from 
any other ship at that distance ; and that if it was, the 
Bishop certainly would not be on board of her. I thought 
no more about it, but went into school. Just as I was 
about to close, Miss Williford called to me to close 
school, and hurry in ; that the Bishop, with four other 
gentlemen, were here. To close school I found was im- 
possible ; the announcement of the Bishop being there, 
drove every other thought out of the children's heads ; 
all rushed to the doors and windows, to obtain a glimpse 
of him. When I went in, I found the Bishop, Mr. Wil- 
liams (a Presbyterian clergyman, from Monrovia, the 
former colleague of Mr. Wilson), and three of the officers 
from on board the ship. It was the United States ship 
" Marion." On her way down the coast she had stopped 
at Monrovia, and finding the Bishop and Mr. Williams 
waiting to come on, they had kindly brought them, and 
landed them here. They had come from the ship over 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 169 

five miles in a canoe. The officers on board the men-of- 
war, both English and American, are always very kind 
and polite to missionaries. Those who came on shore 
were very pleasant, gentlemanly men. They remained 
and took lunch with us. One of them, an earnest Chris- 
tian, on taking leave, begged to be remembered — where 
a Christian most wishes ever to be remembered — at the 
throne of grace. We watched them go on board, and then 
the vessel soon disappeared from our sight. Mr. Williams 
will remain some little time with us. His health is very 
poor. The change m&y benefit him. As soon as he is 
well enough, we can give him work to do. Among the 
missionaries the Church of G-od is one. Would it were 
more so at home. Mr. Williams was telling us to-night, 
that in one of his itinerating excursions, he was preach- 
ing in a native hut, at night, to quite a large congrega- 
tion. The sole light they had was the only kind that 
is ever used here : a saucer filled with palm-oil, with a 
piece of rag lying in it for a wick. But this could not 
be persuaded to burn. After being coaxed by one, and 
then another, of the congregation, it went entirely out, 
and they were left in total darkness. He, however, con- 
tinued his sermon ; but he said it seemed so strange to 
be looking round at his congregation and gesticulating 
all in the dark. But he was holding out to the people 
the lamp of life. It does seem to me, if there is any po- 
sition in life to be coveted, with all its denials, its suffer- 
ings, and its toils, it is that of the missionary. 

Mr. Hoffman came down to-night. He was at Gra- 
way, preaching, and hearing of the Bishop's arrival, 
he came an. We have had the house thronged with na- 

3 



170 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



tives, too, all eager to welcome home their dear " Payne." 
Mr. Hoffman took Mr. Williams home with him, to spend 
a week. The Bishop's health is very muah improved. 
We have had letters from home. Truly, "good news 
from a far country is like rivers of water to the thirsty 
soul." Loving friends are one of God's best gifts to 
man. 

Communion. — Sunday — a lovely day ; a true Sabbath 
of rest. I can from my heart say, " Thine earthly Sab- 
baths, Lord, I love." The Bishop had the usual services 
this morning, in Grebo. In the afternoon we had com- 
munion. We have not had it before since I have been 
at Cavalla, on account of the Bishop's absence, Mr. Jones 
being only in deacon's orders. The communion service 
is in the afternoon, which makes it just the hour on 
which it is celebrated, on' the same day, at home — the 
first Sunday of the month. It is very pleasant to feel 
that our loved ones, far, far away, are at the same time 
joining with us in " keeping the feast." May it not be 
long before we shall know that all we love are "com- 
passing God's altar." There are here about ninety na- 
tives, who are communicants. They come from the 
neighboring towns. Their deportment is very serious 
and devotional. The Bishop has translated the commu- 
nion service into Grebo, but it is not yet quite ready for 
use. The Bishop made an address, in English, which 
Mr. Jones translated into Grebo ; and never did the 
words of the ninety-fifth hymn sound so appropriate : 

" And are we now brought near to God, 
Who once at distance stood V* 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 1/1 

What intense satisfaction it gave to look at that con- 
gregation, from among the heathen. Pray that Grod 
may pour forth His spirit here, and that the^e may be 
" living epistles known and read of all men." How con- 
stantly we need to watch against the devices of Satan, 
who seeks occasion to tempt us in our holiest moments ; 
how we need to have every thought and every act 
washed in the blood of atonement. While kneeling at 
the chancel, to-day, a poor old native woman knelt 
beside me, and the thought came up that, probably, in 
the sight of our heavenly Father, she was far the most 
acceptable, as she had certainly made far better use of 
her privileges than I had of mine. See how hard it is to 
root out of the mind the idea of merit, fomettins: that if 
we both had on the wedding garment, faith in the Re- 
deemer's righteousness, ourselves were entirely covered, 
and we were accepted through him alone. After service, 
I was in my room with Lucie (one of our elder girls., a 
communicant), speaking with her of this wedding gar- 
ment, when we were startled by loud shrieks and 
screams. On looking out, we saw a woman run- 
ning swiftly along, tossing her arms about in the wildest 
manner, and uttering such fearful cries. Upon inquiry, 
we found that two of her children were just dead — 
poisoned ! Christians, I leave it with you to say who 
were the murderers. An American vessel was here, a 
few weeks since, and sold to these natives a hogshead of 
rum, since which time our congregations have been very 
much smaller ; and on visiting at the towns, it is hard 
to gain attention to our message. Rum ! rum ! has be- 
sotted the minds of the people. " Shall not God arise to 



172 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

judgment for this ?" Oh ! it is a fearful crime, for so- 
ealled Christians to hinder thus the work of the missionary. 
They tell us here, that no vessel can trade on the coast 
to advantage, without rum ; and that those who have it 
make rapid fortunes, Think of ship-owners and cap- 
tains confessing boldly such deeds, that they have to 
debase and degrade the poor natives, to intoxicate them, 
before they can cheat them, or make them sell their 
commodities at half their value. The little vessel we 
came out in, carried no rum, and the captain was told 
he would never succeed. So far, he has done well. Grod 
grant him success, that others may have courage to fol- 
low in the same path. But to return to my murdered 
children. Their mother and father had a rum-bottle, 
which the children often saw them partake of, and ap- 
pear much to enjoy. This morning, after taking some, 
they put the bottle away in the chest, but forgot to lock 
it ; they then went off to their farm, leaving these 
children at home. They got at the bottle, finished its 
contents, and, on the parents' return, were found dead, 
with the bottle beside them. This may, perhaps, be for 
the good of the community, as they have a great horror 
of death. They would never believe before, that rum is 
a poison ; now they will see its poisonous effects. 

Life. — This country teems with life ; almost every 
night we have fresh swarms of some new species of in- 
sect, attracted by the light. The little red ants are in 
myriads, being over everything ; and at night, we have 
a species of winged ant, that is very annoying. Then, 
our spiders are immense. I have seen them with a body 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 173 

as large as a twenty-five-cent piece ; they are very ugly 
Then, we have quantities of lizards, of all sizes, playing 
about. Some of them are very large, of a most beauti- 
ful blue color, excepting the head, which is a bright red, 
giving them a very singular appearance. 

Rum. — A French vessel has been lying out here, sel- 
ling rum, for some days past. The natives have been in 
a constant state of excitement, quarrels and " palavers" 
going on all the time. God forgive the venders of this 
poison — our poor people ! we feel so sorry for them. On 
this subject, we can have little influence with them, 
while the rum lasts ; the missionary might almost as 
well cease preaching. To-day, the captain and mate, 
and four of his men, were on shore. It was very rough 
going over the bar ; the boat was upset, and the mate 
and two of the seamen were drowned ; the rest swam to 
the vessel. The body of one of the men was found some 
little distance below by some Kroomen. They took him 
up, and buried hirn like a dog, with the exception ot 
just firing a few shots over his grave. 

Missionary Meeting. — We have a missionary meeting 
once a month, when the Bishop reads to us any intelli- 
gence received from other parts of the world. To-night, 
he read to us a short account of the glorious work going 
on in New-Zealand — " Nations being born in a day." 
Then Mr. Williams gave us a beautiful address on 
Ezekiel's vision. I cannot help constantly admiring 
the oneness of feeling prevailing here in the different 
branches of the vine. Christ's prayer seems answered, 



174 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

"Oh! Father, that they may be one, as we are one." 
And to Christians at home, missionaries would con- 
stantly present the request, " Brethren, pray for us!" 
Yes, all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, uphold them 
by your prayers; pray, that they may teach Christ, by 
their holy lives as well as by their doctrines, and that, 
from their conduct, men may take knowledge of them, 
that they have been with Jesus. Again, I would urge, 
pray for them. 

Salt. — In one house, to-day, a woman was putting 
up a large quantity of coarse salt, obtained from the 
sea-water, by evaporation. She was putting it up in 
cocoanut leaves, then to be hung up in the hut to dry. 
It was put up quite prettily ; it really looked very orna- 
mental, now while the leaves are green, but that will 
only be for a day or two. 

The people are very fond of children, never hardly 
correcting them ; they let them do precisely as they 
please, unless they become too outrageous, and then 
their punishment is most barbarous ; they will put red 
pepper into the eyes of the refractory ones — you may 
imagine the torture ; but, strange to say, after they get 
over the pain, which lasts several days, it does not injure 
their sight, as one would suppose. 

Joy. — I thank Grod for his boundless love. It is Sun- 
day. This morning, before going into church, we were 
speaking on the subject of Christian assurance, and our 
constant doubts and fears ; and, calling attention to the 
mighty expanse of waters spread out before us, it was re- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 175 

marked that the ocean could as easily bear up the most 
deeply-laden and the largest ship, as the tiniest little 
cork that floated on its bosom ; and so the ocean of 
Christ's fullness can as easily sustain the soul that is 
most deeply-laden with guilt and iniquity, as it can that 
of the comparatively innocent babe. "Who can fathom 
the unutterable depths of the Saviour's love ? Mr. 
Williams preached for us a sermon, full of Christ, Mr. 
Jones interpreting for him. During the morning, after 
service, Mary Bowman, one of the girls I have to attend 
to my room, came to me, and, with her book in her 
hand, sat down at my feet. At first, I took no notice of 
her, as I was busy reading ; presently, I noticed that 
her heart was full ; she was crying. I laid my hand 
on her, " Mary, my child, what is the matter ? can I do 
anything for you ?" She looked up at me, " Talk me, 
talk me." u Well, Mary, what shall I talk to you 
about ? Shall it be of the love of the precious Saviour ? 
Shall I tell you of the solemn vows and promises that 
were made to-day ?" Two of the boys in school (the 
one, nineteen, the other, seventeen years of age) were 
baptized to-day ; they give every promise of being use- 
ful, sincere Christians. I talked to her a long time, 
though at first I did not like to be disturbed, as I was 
much interested in what I was read ins:. But God's 
Word says, " In the morning, sow thy seed : and at eve, 
withhold not thou thine hand, for thou knowest not 
which shall prosper, this or that." For some little time, 
I have remarked a growing seriousness in Mary, and 
one or two others, and great attention to the things of 
God. Those girls have been well and faithfully taught 



176 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

for years : they have head knowledge. I went down 
to dinner, leaving Mary still in my room ; on returning, 
I found her yet there. She came and knelt beside me, 
exclaiming, " Oh, I want to be a Christian ! I want to 
be baptized !" I commenced talking to her on the great 
and important subject of baptism ; but we were obliged 
to hurry off to Sunday-school. There, the children 
were addressed on the necessity of a change of heart, 
which subject was very simply, yet beautifully illus- 
trated to them. After school was over, Mary came 
again to my room ; we continued talking for a time, when 
suddenly she seized my hand, " Miss B., pray a me." 
" What ! Mary, shall I pray for you, or with you ?" " Yes ! 
yes !" and she got up, and together we knelt and prayed 
for that new heart, those precious influences of the Holy 
Spirit, of which she had been hearing in Sunday-school. 
We talked and prayed together, till the bell rang for 
evening service. She asked me to tell the Bishop her 
earnest desire to be baptized, to confess Christ before 
men. " Truly, the wind bloweth, where it listeth : and 
thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence 
it cometh, nor whither it goeth, so is every one, who is 
born of the Spirit." In the evening, we heard an exquis- 
itely beautiful sermon from the words : " They went, 
and told Jesus." Oh, what a friend He is ! Afterward, 
we talked together about Mary. Truly, we have " joys 
that the world intermeddle th not therewith." We all 
believe Mary to be a good girl. 

More Joy. — Another joyful scene to-day. After din- 
ner, Mater came up into my room, and told me that she, 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 177 

like Mary, was minding God's things— that she, too, 
wished to be taken into God's house, to he God's child. 
I had a long and delightful talk with her, in her broken 
English, and prayed with her. She told me that Eliza- 
beth (another of the elder girls) wished to come and talk 
with me, that she, likewise, was wishing to come for- 
ward, and confess Christ. Elizabeth was busy this af- 
ternoon, so she could not come to me. I intend to take 
those three girls alone in the afternoon, and try and 
make them thoroughly understand the duties and re- 
sponsibilities of a Christian profession, before they make 
it. But I really must try and take a little more rest. 
I am never free from fever three days at a time ; and 
for several weeks I have been so ill, I could hardly 
crawl about — no one would think it, though, to see me ; 
for, having a constant fever flush, I always look well. 
On talking to Miss Williford, she says that for many 
months there has been a growing seriousness and in- 
terest in the religion of Christ manifested among: the 
older girls. God's promise is, that " His AVord shall 
not return to Him void ;" and the precious seed has been 
sown diligently here — one faithful missionary after 
another, planting and watering ; and, though much has 
fallen upon thorny, stony, or barren soil, some has fallen 
upon good ground, and gives promise of a future harvest. 
Now, the tender blade is beginning to appear ; bye-and- 
bye, it will be the ear, then, the full corn in the ear. 
Many of those faithful laborers have gone to their 
account. They sowed in faith — they saw not the 
fruits of their toil — but, at the great harvest home, who 
shall tell how many sheaves of bearded grain, bound up 

8* 



178 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

in the bundle of life, will owe their existence to the 
seed they first planted. We must each work diligently, 
as though the conversion of the whole heathen world de- 
pended upon our individual efforts ; while, at the same 
time, we must feel that " Paul may plant, and Apollos 
may water, but it is God only that giveth the increase." 
We should never forget, too, that He does give the in- 
crease always to faithful planting and watering ; but 
"if it tarry, we must wait for it, knowing that, in His 
good time, it will come, and will not tarry." Grod give 
us grace faithfully to tend and nourish this precious 
seed that has been planted, and, by God's spirit, appears 
now to be shooting forth. Truly, truly, it may be a 
"fearful thing to die ;" but it is an awful thing to 
live — to live, as we shall wish we had, when we come 
to die, improving, to the utmost, every talent committed 
to us. 

Work. — Very ill to-day, but had my different classes 
come to my room to recite, Miss Gillot taking charge 
in the school-room. She is very faithful. This after- 
noon, when in bed, Mary came and peeped into my 
room and then went away, without speaking, but, in a 
few minutes, she returned with Meter and Elizabeth. 
They came in and sat down. " Please talk to us — tell 
us of Jesus." " Oh ! Mary, my child, I am so weary, 
and my head pains me so badly, I cannot talk to you 
now." I saw a shade of disappointment pass over their 
faces, and it instantly recalled me. What ! refuse to 
tell those poor perishing heathens of Jesus ; refuse to 
point them to the Lamb of God ; refuse to give to their 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 179 

famishing souls the Bread of Life, which they were 
pleading for; and I remembered, " Whatever thy hand 
findeth to do, do it with all thy might, for there is neither 
thought, device, nor knowledge in the grave, whither we 
hasten." I took the Prayer Book, and commenced talk- 
ing to them on the first answer in the Catechism, " in 
baptism wherein I was made a member of Christ," &c. 
I tried to explain it to them, and prayed with them. My 
earnestness in talking produced a profuse perspiration, 
which removed my headache, so that, after they had gone, 
I got up, feeling much better. Dear girls, may God's 
Spirit be abundantly poured out upon them ; may He 
perfect the good work He has begun in them, and may 
they be as lights in this dark land. At dark Henry and 
Mr. Bacon came to me for an hour and a half. So, we 
cannot really afford the time to be sick, for, if we are, our 
duties have to be neglected, no one being possibly able 
to attend to their own and ours, too. Our time is very 
short, and much to be done, " for soon the night comet h 
wherein no man can work." I thank God daily for 
granting me the precious privilege of laboring here. 

Illness. — A week in bed. I ought to have been 
there before, but I would not give up. I battled every 
inch of ground, till obliged to succumb. And now 
again, with my array of calomel, blue pill, castor-oil, 
quinine, and ale, a goodly army, I am, at length, coming 
off victorious. I have had my children in my room, to 
recite to-day, as we are preparing for examination. The 
Bishop and Mr. "Williams have been away attending the 
examinations at Mount Vaughan — the Asylum. The 



180 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Bishop came home to-day. Our examination, of the girls 
is to be on Tuesday; the boys on "Wednesday. The 
house is always full at these times, missionaries and 
colonists all making it a point to be present. So it was 
thought to be a good time for the wedding to take place 
then, when all, who would be invited to it, would be 
present. We are very busy preparing, but I feel very 
feeble. I fear a relapse, and that would not be pleasant 
just now. Lucie, one of my girls, brought me a large 
piece of the sassa-bark. 1 should like very much to have 
it analyzed. 

The Examination and Wedding. — I have talked as 
much as I could, and others have, with the three girls. 
They are to be baptized on Wednesday evening. I think 
they are fully prepared, as far as man can see, for the 
celebration of that sacrament. Truly the light shineth 
here in a dark place. It is just the dawn, but ere long 
it w T ill usher in the glorious day. Christ will have the 
heathen for his inheritance, and he shall reign u from the 
river even unto the ends of the earth.' 7 

Our winter has commenced. The salt winds blow, 
and though we have not so much rain, yet, from 
now (the middle of June) till September we 
scarcely see the sun, just a peep now and then. The 
atmosphere is cloudy and murky. A thick dress, with 
the windows closed, is quite comfortable. Our friends 
arrived to-night in preparation for the wedding and 
examination to-morrow. How very badly Miss Ball 
looks. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 181 

My Birthday. — Truly I can say u hitherto the Lord hath 
helped me." I have ended one more year of my earthly 
pilgrimage. I hope it has brought me one year nearer 
my heavenly home. How varied has been my experience 
the past year, yet I think I have realized God's prom- 
ise, " My presence shall go with thee, and I will do thee 
good." I have dreaded this examination so much — the 
idea of having to appear and speak before so many. I 
know it is done in our schools constantly, at home ; but 
to me, it is very repugnant. I felt very like a criminal 
when I went into the school-room. It was full. I sup- 
pose all, white and black, must have numbered over a 
hundred and fifty, and I had to sit before them all, to 
examine my scholars. I trembled, and my voice falter- 
ed so much. I had hard work to proceed. . But it was 
over at last, and I could have jumped, and danced, and 
clapped my hands, like the veriest child. I was so 
relieved. By the way, what strange ideas some people 
seem to entertain of what a missionary is. I suppose 
they imagine them with constant long faces and gloomy 
aspects, going about like so many monks or nuns. I 
just received a letter from a friend at home, asking me 
how we felt. That she should imagine we always felt 
so good, just as people do on Sundays. I\ T ow> I suppose 
what she meant was that we always feel grave and 
serious. I wish she could take a peep in upon us some- 
times. We have enough; ah! quite enough, to make 
us thoughtful and very sad, but just for that very reason 
we feel it more our bounden duty to " cast our burdens 
all on Christ," and in our daily intercourse with one an- 
other, even when suffering severely with sickness, to 



182 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

wear a smiling, pleasant face, and to be as light-hearted 
and cheerful as possible. This we consider a positive 
duty we owe to each other. The examination was over 
at five o'clock. "We had trimmed everything and every 
place with flowers — " Grod's smiles," as some one has 
beautifully called them. The ceremony took place in the 
church, which is just completed, Mr. Hoffman per- 
forming for the Bishop the same service the latter did for 
him a few months since. "Who would have thought, six 
months ago, to see Miss "Williford, that she would have ever 
lived to he a bride ? God bless them both, and make them 
a blessing to this people. Most of our company stayed all 
night, to be present at the boys' examination. "We were 
obliged to make up any quantity of extempore beds. A 
mission house should be elastic. 

Baptism. — I was too tired to sleep last night. To-day 
the boys' examination has been held. Some of them 
declaimed very well. One of them recited a speech of 
Patrick Henry's. It could not have been better. I took 
those three girls away, for awhile, to my room. "We 
read over the baptismal service, and I was pleased to see 
they had been studying it, and had made themselves 
quite familiar with it. They are good girls, so far as 
man's eye can see. In the evening they were baptized. 
Mrs. Payne and myself stood as their witnesses. That 
service grows in beauty, to me, every time I see it. It 
is a very solemn thing, this turning from heathenism to 
Christianity. May God give them grace to confess him 
fearlessly before men. The church is just finished. The 
chancel rails and pulpit were put up yesterday morning. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 183 

Mr. Hoffman preached this evening. We still have a 
house full. 

Sassa. — A sad sight this morning again. Just before 
breakfast we heard a loud wailing on the beach, and we 
soon saw a corpse dragged out and cast upon the sand. 
It was a young woman this time to whom sassa-wood had 
been given. She died almost instantly upon swallowing 
it. A very great crowd gathered round her, but, in a very 
short time the bullock was provided, and the corpse was 
carried away. How fearful it seems. An hour ago that 
poor woman was in the enjoyment of full health and 
vigor, and now her lifeless corpse is cast out unto the 
swamp, to be devoured by beasts of prey. It is dreadful ! 
And yet when you talk to them about it you can hardly 
tell how to answer them. " Mammy, it be our country 
fash. S'pose man bad your country, he hate noder man, 
he shoot he wid a gun, or he stick a knife in he ; what 
you do wid dat man s'pose you catch he ? I knows, 
mammy, you take a rope, you put him round he neck, 
and tie he on a tree, till he dies. That your country 
fash, mammy. But s'pose we countryman, he hate 
noder, he no shoot — he no take a knife, but he witch 
he ; we no hang he up, but we give he gidu. That be 
our country fash." 

Our friends have left us this morning, except Miss Ball 
(it now being the holidays she can be away from home) 
and Mrs. Williams. I have had some very interesting 
conversation with several of the people in town. There 
are many who think about God's things, but still hold 
back from making a profession. Can we wonder at it 



184 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

when we see the multitudes, in our own land, that do 
the same ? cannot give up all for Christ, though fully 
persuaded that they ought. 

Thu Invitations. — Communion service : it is a holy 
season. Over a hundred native communicants are here. 
Five communed to-day, for the first time — the two boys 
and the three girls, from our schools. They have now 
buckled on the Christian armor. May they never lay it 
aside, but fight manfully, as good soldiers of the Cross. 
May their course be ever onward and upward. The cus- 
toms here at communion season remind one forcibly 
of the feast in the Gospel. In that, you recollect, three 
invitations are given — the last when supper is announced: 
" Come, for all things are ready." With us, except on 
Communion Sunday, we always have Sunday-school in 
the afternoon ; and that the people may not forget, they 
receive three invitations. The first is given the Sunday 
previous. On Saturday, we and all the women from the 
Christian village, and school girls and boys who are 
members, go and scatter about through the towns, tell- 
ing them of the feast to-morrow, and talking to them of 
it ; and again (as they have no regard for time), just be- 
fore service, some of the girls are sent to the Christian 
huts in each town, with the message, " Come, for all 
things are ready." 

This morning, the fourth of July, I was awakened very 
early, by the firing of guns. I suppose there is noise 
enough of that sort at home to-day. How it took me 
there. The rejoicing here was occasioned by the com- 
pletion of a new town-house — a large square house in 




bo 



I PQ 



c 

o 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 185 

the centre of the town, where town meetings are held, 
11 palavers " settled, &c., &e. All the men have to help 
to build it, therefore it is a matter of great rejoicing 
when it is finished, particularly, as in this case, when 
the materials of which it is constructed have to be 
brought from the woods, at some distance. Miss Ball 
has gone home to-day. 

Doda-lu. — Doda-lu is a native town, about two and a 
half miles distant from us, where the Bishop goes to 
preach every Tuesday afternoon. To-day he wished us 
to go with him ; so he engaged men to carry Mrs. Payne 
and myself, in hammocks, and he and Mr. Williams took 
it by turns to ride on horseback. "We had a most de- 
lightful ride. Doda-lu is very prettily si tuated, on the 
Cavalla river. Unlike any other towns I have seen, it 
is completely environed by trees. The scenery all along 
the road is very lovely ; it is a most beautifully undu- 
lating country. The Bishop preached in front of one of 
the houses, in an open space, under the shade of a fine 
cotton-tree. These trees grow to the size of the oak. 
They brought country chairs for us to sit upon, while 
the natives themselves sat on the ground around us, in all 
imaginable positions. These scenes must be Witnessed 
to be felt. Never, till you are in a heathen land, do you 
realize, in all its fullness, the "beauty of the Grospel." 
Two of the girls walked down from the Asylum this 
evening, to see me. They thought I should have gone 
up with Miss Ball, to spend part of the holidays there. 
Finding I did not, they came to see me. They show 
strong proofs of affection. Mr. T. Thompson also came 
down, for a day or two. 



186 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

This afternoon we started to take a little walk on the 
beach, to see some very romantic projecting rocks a short 
distance off. In passing through the town, we came upon 
the " Palava House," recently erected. While we stood 
looking at it, a Krooman came up and commenced a con- 
versation, speaking English very nicely. Mr. "Wilson 
pointed to some gree-grees, or fetishes (a large stone 
and two or three bunches of chickens' feathers), in front 
of the house. The man said, "Me no believe in gree- 
grees ; me want to believe in Grod's things." In a few 
minutes quite a congregation had collected around us. 
Mr. Wilson preached Jesus to them — the man we first 
met being a very good interpreter. We then went on to 
the beach, towards the native grave-yard. Just before 
you come to this, however, you meet King Wia's grave. 
Here there is a native hut inside a large enclosure, beau- 
tifully shaded by trees. King Wia is buried inside the 
hut. On the outside, within the enclosure, seats are 
placed for the spirit to rest on when it comes to visit the 
grave. King Wia was a very good native, a kind friend 
to the missionaries, and one " almost persuaded to be a 
Christian." There is a stone, with an inscription to this 
effect, placed there by the missionaries. The hut is com- 
pletely filled with those things which constituted his 
wealth when on earth. But every pot, or pan, is broken 
(an apt emblem). Pieces of rags, &c, are hung all 
round, as gree-grees. Poor people ! We knelt and 
prayed beside this grave, for the eternal life, the resur- 
rection unto life, of these living ones around us, who are 
still dead in trespasses and sins. We then passed on to- 
wards the general grave-yard. It is an enclosed piece 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 187 

of woods. When any one is interred, a grave is dug 
a few inches beneath the surface, or else the body 
is just laid on the ground, and an old canoe inverted 
over it. In the trees are a great number of monkeys ; 
and though, when found elsewhere, they are killed, and 
eaten, without scruple, yet these no one dare touch, as 
it is supposed they may be the habitation of the spir- 
its of the departed. The doctrines they hold are very 
contradictory ; sometimes they assert their belief in one 
thing, sometimes in another. 

Centipede. — This evening, while sewing, I was star- 
tled by the cat jumping suddenly upon me. I started 
up, and felt a little frightened to see a centipede drop 
from my dress. He was despatched very quickly. I 
felt quite thankful to pussy, for though the bite is not 
mortal, or very rarely so, yet it is very poisonous, and 
occasions much suffering. 

Sad News. — While busy in my room this morning 
(Saturday), the Bishop came to tell me that the Stevens 
had arrived, and there were lots of letters for me. Down 
went my work on the floor, and I rushed into the parlor, 
and could do nothing else till I had devoured the con- 
tents. My father very ill — probably already gone home. 
Thank God ! " a rest remaineth." Mrs. Payne has sad 
news ; the death of a dear and only brother. But Gad 
gives her grace to feel that " the Lord gave, and the Lord 
hath taken away," and she can bless His name. The 
Bishop has also received the intelligence of the death of 
a brother of his. " He that rideth on the pale horse does 



188 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

not confine himself to one country or clime ; his name is 
ubiquity" Even should our lives be spared to see our 
own land, how many faces shall we miss. To-day, when 
I was in town, in two of the houses, I met a number of 
wild bushmen. They had never been to the coast be- 
fore. I was the first white person they had ever seen. 
They were really frightful-looking creatures ; they had 
added to their natural darkness by painting themselves 
over with a sort of lampblack. Their heads are always 
most ridiculous spectacles ; shaved sometimes in one 
fashion, sometimes in another ; sometimes little circles 
or oblongs of hair left, and all shaved between. You 
might fancy they had seen a prettily laid-out garden, 
the hair representing the beds, and the shaved parts the 
paths between. At other times one half of the head is 
shaved ; on the other half the hair is permitted to grow 
about four inches long, and then it is plaited into innu- 
merable tails, that stand straight up and out from the 
head. It will take their wives from four to five hours to 
do this for them. I talked to them, through my inter- 
preter, for some time. They had never heard of God. I 
told them of man's total depravity, of God's holiness, of 
the Saviour's love, and begged them to come to church 
to-morrow. They promised me they would. We must 
constantly sow the seed ; the bread cast upon the waters 
may be found after many days. The people of the coast 
look down very much upon the bushmen, considering 
them as vastly inferior to themselves, as indeed, in many 
respects, they are. Shaving the head, among the Gre- 
boes, is a sign of mourning ; and, according to the near- 
ness of the relationship, the head is more or less shaven, 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 189 

it being shaved either a quarter, the half, or the whole 
head. 

The Kwl — The bushmen were at church to-day. The 
Bishop preached in Grebo. After which, Mr. Williams 
followed in an address, which was interpreted. Both the 
sermon and address were on the folly of idols and gree- 
grees, and the nature of the true G-od. This people have 
had the Gospel, in its purity, preached to them for 
over twenty years ; and now God appears to be speak- 
ing to them by His providences. Last year, without 
any apparent cause, the rice, their main dependence for 
food, after it was nicely headed, withered, and was de- 
stroyed ; and now the same thing is occurring. It has 
been looking beautiful, already headed, but it is now all 
wilting away. It is believed that the spirits of the de- 
parted become devils, or demons (Kivi), and that it is 
they who inflict the evils which the people suffer ; they, 
therefore, often offer sacrifices (a bullock, goat, or chick- 
ens), to propitiate them. Some great man has died, not 
very long ago, and, for some supposed offence, they think 
his Kivi is angry with them ; so, this last week, they 
have been offering sacrifices to him. May the scales of 
error soon fall from their eyes. 

Time. — Mr. Williams has left us in the Stevens. He 
has gone back, I hope, strengthened for fresh labors. I 
have had time to write but very little for home. 1 have 
sent home my watch, by Mr. Johnston, a merchant (col- 
ored), of Monrovia. It is a vejy singular thing that no 
watches will keep correct time here ; even the very best 



190 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

chronometers will vary somewhat on this coast, and no 
two watches will keep time together ; if you set them 
alike to-day, they will not remain so to-morrow. About 
every two or three days the Bishop sets the clock in the 
parlor right, by the sun, and we keep ours by that. I 
cannot understand the philosophy of this thing. My 
watch, since it has stopped, has been a great loss to me, 
as I have to regulate my school duties, &c, by it, and 
it may be many months ere it will be returned to me. 

The Funeral. — I have just returned from the funeral 
of a little child, a very fine little boy, the son of one of 
our Christian villagers. He was about three years old. 
The father is a carpenter; he made the child's coffin 
himself. The child has been sick for two or three days, 
but did not seem to be dangerously ill. He died about 
eight o'clock this morning, and is just buried now, at 
eleven. This haste seems dreadful, but it is necessary. 
We could not but notice the blessed effects of Christian- 
ity, if it were only the mitigation of our sufferings in 
time of trouble. All the relations, of both parents, are 
heathen ; and the wild, despairing grief of the grand- 
mother was a marked contrast to the deep but subdued 
sorrow of the parents, who could look beyond the grave, 
to the " resurrection and the life," and feel that their 
child " is not dead, but sleepeth." Who that has but 
one spark of humanity but would long earnestly that all 
men might have the hope of the Gospel. How much of 
human misery does it soothe and relieve ! The Bishop 
had the service in the house, Mr. Jones interpreting his 
address into Grebo, then following himself in a short 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 191 

speech — many of the natives from the towns being pres- 
ent. "We then went to the grave-yard, a pretty little 
spot, under the trees ; only three, as yet (all children), 
being buried there. The bell was solemnly tolling all 
the time. May we also be ready, for in •* such an hour 
as we think not the Son of Man cometh." We heard to- 
night that old M'Lede has gone home to her rest. 

Ignorance. — I felt very sorry for one poor woman I 
met in town to-day. I went into her house, and began 
talking to her about her children. I then told her it 
would be Sunday to-morrow, asking her if she was com- 
ing to church, and telling her if she did not keep God's 
Sabbath, did not mind God's Word, He would not bless 
her ; and I begged her to come to God's house, to hear 
His Word. She said, " No, she would not ; that some 
time ago, she used to go much to God's house, but He 
had not blessed her ; that He had taken away two or 
three of her people, and she would not go to His house 
again." Poor woman ! how sad my heart felt for her. 
She seemed to think that by learning the way to eternal 
happiness, by hearing the good news of salvation pro- 
claimed to a poor, lost, perishing sinner, like her, she 
was, as it were, laying God under an obligation to her. 
I fear, alas ! that such ideas are not confined to hea- 
thens. 

The Accepted Invitation. — I was reading to-day on 
the subject I recently spoke of: that in many parts of 
the East it is still the custom, on the occasion of any 
great feast, to send the invitation many days before; 



192 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

then, again, the day before the feast, to remind them of 
it ; and again, when all is prepared ; and it is a great in- 
dignity to refuse to come, after all this trouble. Now, 
we do hope, with these guests, who come here to the 
great feast, though they come with little outward cloth- 
ing, yet we trust they are clothed with the ample gar* 
ment of the Redeemer's righteousness, and, therefore, 
are admitted as welcome guests. How many at home 
have had the invitation, again and again, and have 
" made light of it," and gone their ways ; and these, from 
the highways and hedges, are brought to the feast on 
earth, and, finally, will be purified and happy guests at 
" the marriage supper of the Lamb." 

Consumption. — How time flies ! So many, many 
things I had set myself to do during the holidays, and 
I have scarcely performed a tithe of them ; and yet 
I have been busy, oh! so busy, every moment. It really 
would not do for us to have too much sewing for our- 
selves to do. Copying my G-rebo dictionary, and study- 
ing the language, take every moment of spare time. 
School has begun again. The children are all very glad 
at the commencement of the holidays, but they are much 
more so at their termination. Mrs. Payne received a 
large box of presents, from kind friends at the South. It 
came by the Stevens ; presents for herself and the school. 
To-day we were up in the storeroom, putting away some 
of these things, when, on laying a piece of shirting on 
the table, an enormous centipede ran out of it, and ran 
across the table. It was the largest I have seen yet, and 
one of the most venomous species ; but they appear to 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 193 

be as much afraid of us as we are of them. They sel- 
dom are the aggressors, but they are ugly things. I was 
a little surprised at some statistics the Bishop was men- 
tioning to-night ; and yet there was no reason to be sur- 
prised, when we reflect an instant. He says that four 
fifths of the children here die in infancy, and four fifths 
of those who attain to manhood die of consumption. 
They always have fires in their huts, even in the hottest 
weather, keeping them up to boiling heat ; and now, at 
this season, it feels quite cool, even with a thick merino 
dress on. And they will constantly go in and out from 
these intensely hot huts, into the cold air (that even we 
feel cold), with nothing but a little cloth around the 
loins. At night, after sitting round the fire, in a steam- 
ing hut, they will go out into the cold air, and there 
take a hot bath (not cold, or tepid, but hot), and then 
stand for some time in the cold, damp, heavy dews. Is 
it a wonder they have fearful coughs and consumption ? 
They are very cleanly in their persons, and this hot bath 
must be taken by every one every night. 

9 



194 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



&&aptn ®to.elft|. 



ULCERS. 



The natives, and many of the colonists also, are troub- 
led with the most frightful ulcers. They are most fre- 
quently in the legs. The slightest bruise or wound will 
produce them. I have seen them with holes so large you 
might lay a pigeon's egg in them. They will suffer with 
them for months or years. There is an herb grows here, 
similar to the plantain, which they sometimes apply ; 
but I never could perceive that it was at all effica- 
cious. There, are also a great many lepers ; we have 
several constantly coming to the house. This disease is 
hereditary, but not infectious ; though often, if the leper 
should come between you and the air, you would per- 
ceive a very strong, heavy odor. They will frequently 
turn white, in large spots or blotches, which give them 
a very disagreeable appearance. We have, however, to 
overcome any fastidiousness or squeanrishness on that 
point very soon, though some of the sights are sicken- 
ing. But then we must remember that they are our 
brethren, children of one common Father ; and we must 
put away our own feelings, that we may be enabled to 
" pour in the oil and wine " to others' wounds. We our- 
selves at first appear very disgusting to those who have 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 195 

never seen a white person before. They think that the 
reason we are all white is because we are such fearful 
lepers. 

Climate. — Another large centipede killed in the school- 
room to-day. How soon we learn certain habits. I never 
think now of putting on my clothes without giving each 
article a good shake, to be sure that there is neither cen- 
tipede, scorpion, nor spidar, concealed there. I have 
bought a monkey to-day. Kade is going to take care 
of him, and train him for me, till I can send him home. 
It surely must be far more healthy in the interior than 
it is here on the coast, for every animal that comes from 
there here has to go through an acclimation. I had a 
beautiful parrot sent me, some weeks ago, from up the 
river, that I "gave to Kade to train and take care of. He 
understands these things. But the poor thing died a few 
days afterward. I hope my monkey will live. 

The Bishop brought me a beautiful little bird to-day. 
He found some native children ill-treating it, and they 
gave it to him. It is still alive ; but 1 fear it will not 
live ; it seems stunned. I have placed it on some Cot- 
ton, in a box, with plenty of air, food, and water. I 
hope it will re-cover, for it is a beautiful little creature. 
It is about the size of a sparrow. Its plumage is a deep 
glossy black, like the richest velvet, except the breast, 
which is a splendid red. The bill is a very bright blue. 

My little bird died in the night, and by this morning 
it was half eaten up by the ants. How delightful the 
accounts we have from home of the revivals and prayer- 
meetings. Oh ! that God would also pour out His Spirit 



196 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

here, that " nations may be born in a day." There is 
going to be much hunger here again. The rice has been 
blighted by the winds. It seems as if Grod intended 
to show the people that " the Lord reigneth ;" and if 
they will not hear His voice when He speaks to them 
in love and mercy, he will make them feel His judg- 
ments. 

Company. — I am alone in my room, and yet I have 
plenty of company. What, with spiders, cockroaches, 
scorpions, ants, rats, and occasionally a centipede or 
young lizard, by way of a change, I have visitors enough. 
1 ought to be lively. I have been trying my hand in the 
way of stuffing and preparing birds for preservation, but 
have had to give it up in despair ; I cannot accomplish 
it. I have had two very singular birds' nests brought 
me, from two hundred miles inland. I shall send them 
home. 

Strange Ideas. — The Bishop has been away for sev- 
eral days. He came home last evening. He had vis- 
ited a great number of towns, and administered the 
Communion in one. All the towns appear to be in a 
state of antagonism ; towns not farther than half or quar- 
ter of a mile apart, at war with one another. Oh ! if in- 
fidels could only see the world as it is, without Grod, they 
would say, " Give me Christianity, if only for this life !" 
One woman says she would not be a Christian, because 
Christians have nothing to eat when they are dead. 
Another, who really seemed to believe all the doctrines, 
of Christianity, and to thoroughly understand them 



EVERY-DAY EIFE IN AFRICA. L97 

would not be a Christian, she says, because then she 
would not be buried with, and in the spirit land wear, all 
her brass armlets and anklets, as she does here. Oh ! 
that the Spirit of Grod may breathe on these dry bones, 
that they may live. It is, indeed, a labor of faith to 
teach them. I found a dead scorpion in my bonnet-box. 
The old proverb of skinning the eels is very good here : 
" Nothing when you're used to it." Old Dawba, a na- 
tive Christian in town, is very ill. Poor man ! I am so 
sorry ; we all think so much of him. 

Singing. — Sunday mornings, all the children collect 
in the girls' school-room to sing hymns. This morning, 
I thought it sounded more sweetly than usual. My 
room overlooks the school-room, so that I can have a 
constant oversight of them, and hear all that passes, 
though the buildings are separated. They were singing 
" Messiah is king! Messiah is king!" "When they 
came to that line, " Tell how He cometh from nation 
to nation," such a thrill of delight passed through me, 
that I was one of those privileged to spread these " glad 
tidings of great joy" in this dark land. May the num- 
bers be speedily multiplied of those who shall, from 
their hearts, join in hallelujahs of praise to the great 
King. One of our lay preachers — for we have many 
that circulate on a Sunday (this being, as it were, the 
centre from which the rays of light issue in all direc- 
tions) — found the people in the town to which he went, 
giving sassa to a man. He had not much of a congre- 
gation to hear his message. He tried to stop the giving 
of the poison, but could not succeed. When he left, 



198 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

however, he thought the man was likely to recover from 
its effects. 

Beauty. — How truly has T upper said, " For the es- 
timates of human beauty, dependent on times and 
climes, manifold and changeable, are multiplied ;" 
or, to come down to the common proverb, " Tastes 
differ." I saw a woman to-day with the half of her 
head shaved, leaving quite a bushy crop on the other 
side ; and then the whole head was dyed with a species 
of tan, which made it a perfect brick color. She herself 
was jet black. It looked horrid, and yet so ridiculous. 
I could scarcely keep from laughing at her; but she 
thought she was beautiful — " she fine too much." 

Sassa Triumph. — Whilst in school, to-day, we heard 
considerable shouting and singing. It was a woman, 
enjoying a triumphal procession, after having escaped 
the deadly gidu. She iiad on quite a large cloth, for a 
woman ; attached to the bottom of this, were a great 
number of little bells, a very favorite ornament, and a 
good article of trade. She was loaded with heavy, 
brass armlets, and anklets, up to the knees and elbows ; 
these, with her bells, made such a noise, that they could 
be heard at a great distance. Her head was dyed 
bright red, while, with a species of clay, her face, arms 
and body, were marked with white stripes. She went 
dancing along (the dancing consists in a very strange, 
vulgar motion of the body), improvising a song, in her 
own praise, while a man walked beside her, holding 
over her head a red and white cotton umbrella. At a 




Portraits of Native Africans at Cape Palmas, 



EVERY-PAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 199 

sassa triumph, is the only time at which a woman is so 
honored as to be allowed to walk beside the man ; at all 
other times, she must walk behind him. We had 
heard nothing about it ; but this woman, it seems, 
had the sassa administered to her on Sunday ; she re- 
covered, but they gave it to her again yesterday, when 
she also recovered, and now she is having a grand 
triumph. It is not uncommon, if there is much malig- 
nity felt towards the supposed criminal, to administer the 
poison two or three times before they will consider their 
innocence to be proven. A man has been known to die 
from the effects of the fourth dose. They, however, 
allow two or three days to intervene between the recep- 
tion of each dose. 

Fish. — As I came in from school, I saw a crowd col- 
lected on the beach, and, looking out to sea, I perceived 
about a dozen canoes, apparently joined together, coming 
in towards shore, at a very slow pace. It seems they 
had caught an immense fish, with a harpoon, and they 
wanted to bring it on shore alive, but they could not ; 
and, at length, they were obliged to cut it up, and bring 
it in piecemeal. It was a perfect Grod-send to the town. 
It was so large, that there was enough for a good meal 
for every one in town. Such a thing is always divided 
equally among all, no matter who catches it, it is con- 
sidered town property. They sent the Bishop quite a 
large piece, and it was pronounced very good. The 
Bishop said it was a very singular fish, more in shape 
like a bird ; its flappers, or fins, being immense, and 
like birds' wings. Fever seems on the increase with me 
again, my head and eyes are so bad. 



200 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Fever — There is one noun that, in Africa, we can 
never decline — fever ; and yet, as a verb, we have to go 
through it, in all its moods and tenses. A boy, from 
the station at Nitie Lu^ was baptized to-day, the first 
of that tribe — a tribe of cannibals. The Bishop was 
much pleased with the boy, and his thorough knowledge 
of Scripture doctrines and duties. He has been in- 
structed only by a native teacher. 

Had to give up to my bed to-day. Mrs. Payne 
brought me a bundle of letters from our friends at Coris- 
co and Graboon — all well ; though all had suffered 
slightly with fever, none had been severely ill. They 
are very pleasantly situated, and take great delight in 
their work. Fernando-Po and Corisco both belong to 
Spain. She has just sent to Fernando-Po a new governor, 
and a company of Jesuit priests. They have shut up 
the Protestant schools, and forbidden preaching ; and it 
is feared they will do the same at Corisco. They have 
an armed vessel with them, to enforce their authority. 
"Well, we know that with " the madness of men," as 
well as the raging of the sea, there is one who says : 
" Thus far shalt thou go, and. no farther." The little 
vessel which brought us these letters, came up to get 
Kroomen ; she returns to Corisco. The captain has very 
kindly offered to give Mr. Hoffman and Miss Ball a free 
passage down the coast. They both remain so unwell, 
that a little voyage will, probably, be of great service to 
them. They sail to-morrow. I hope they may come 
back well and strong. Mr. Gibson has gone to Mon- 
rovia. Mr. Crummell is now, with his family, settled at 
Mount Vaughan ; he is a very gentlemanly, well-edu. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 201 

cated man. He received his education at Cambridge, 
England. He is to take charge while Mr. Hoffman is 
away. Poor Mr. Thompson ! he is so anxious to enter 
the ministry, and he was studying so hard with Mr. 
Cmmmell, and again he is hindered. He must take 
charge of the school at the Asylum till Miss Ball re- 
turns. Truly, may we say, " here we have no continu- 
ing city." We must be willing to be removed, or to 
change our work at any moment, as it is best for the 
cause ; and if we constantly put up that prayer, " Lord, 
what wilt thou have me to do?" we shall do it cheer- 
fully and willingly. 

The children of the schools here are corresponding 
with those of Monrovia. I think it will be instrumental 
in doing them all much good. For several days, out of 
school hours, I have had a number of the girls in my 
room, trying to write letters ; it must be entirely their 
own work, only I tell them if such a word is right or 
not. Whilst they are doing this, I am trying to study 
Grebo ; but it is slow work — quite " the pursuit of 
knowledge under difficulties." 

Harry Bacon. — Oh ! how the simple faith of the poor 
and ignorant often puts us to shame. I have spoken of 
Harry Bacon, the colonist carpenter, who is working on 
the boys 7 school-house ; he comes to me whenever he 
can to have a spelling or reading lesson. I was speak- 
ing with him, to-day, on the efficacy of prayer, and he 
said, " Yes, marm, I knows it, cause I'se 'sperienced it. 
Let me tell you, marm, what the Lord did for this old 
nigger once, and no one need to tell to me that He don't 

9* 



202 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

hear prayer — yes, and answer it, too. I used to live in 
G-eorgia, and I had a proper, good, kind master, too, 
marm, and he gave me a good trade. When I grew up 
I was a pretty smart workman, so massa he let me hire 
my time. I pay in his han' so much hard cash ebery 
week, den I go whar I like, lib whar I like. Well, 
marm, my wife she b'long to anoder massa, but most de 
time I was able to lib with her ; and sometime I able to 
earn more money den I gib to massa, and I take home 
to my wife, and we wery happy." He then went on to 
tell me his story, but I cannot give it you in his words. 
His wife and himself were both zealous, devoted mem- 
bers of the Methodist Church. They lived very com- 
fortably together, till their eldest child was fourteen ; 
they had five. At this time, his wife's master dying, 
left her and her children free at the end of a year, but 
they were all to be sent to Liberia. Harry immediately 
wrote — I mean, had a letter written (he could neither 
read nor write) telling his master of his wife's freedom, 
and his deep attachment to her and her children, and 
imploring him to set a price on him, and let him try and 
obtain that money, so he might go with his wife and 
family. His master sent him word, that he would not 
sell him at any price. He petitioned a second and a 
third time, to no purpose. Well, Harry, with the light- 
hearted thoughtlessness of his race, thinking a year was 
a long way off, went on in his usual way, with his little 
spare money buying little comforts for his wife and 
children, and putting off the evil day. At length, the 
time arrived for them to sail. He was allowed to go 
with them to Savannah, to bid them good-bye. They 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 203 

were obliged to remain at Savannah some days, to wait 
for the vessel ; and there he was compelled to leave 
them, to return himself to a factory, where he was then 
at work, thinking he had bid them adieu forever. For 
two or three days he could neither eat nor sleep, devising 
ways and means to go with them ; but all was hopeless. 
At length, he heard that for some reason the vessel was 
not to sail for three weeks. He now again sent a most 
imploring letter to his master, who, thinking such a 
thing would be utterly impossible, returned him word 
that, if he would pay him a thousand dollars before the 
vessel sailed, he should go. The poor man was almost 
in despair. Where was he to raise a thousand dollars, 
in a little over two weeks ? However, he sent letters 
to two or three gentlemen, for whom he had worked, 
and to one northern gentleman, stating his case, and 
praying for assistance. That night he felt that he 
had done all he could, but his case was hopeless. He 
lay down to sleep, with all his fellow-workmen — one of 
them had read a chapter in the Bible to the rest — soon 
all were asleep, but he could not close his eyes ; 
" and," to give his own words, "oh ! marm, de blessed 
Jesus, he was so good to dis poor, miserable sinner, sud- 
denly dar was a purty light in de room, now whar it 
come from I couldn't just see ; and right dar, sitting 
close aside me, was a mighty fine gentleman. At first 
I thought it was an angel, but afterward I was sure it 
was Jesus himself come to comfort me. He had a large 
book open on his knee ; He put his hand on part of de 
book, and read dese words : " Whatsoever ye shall ask in 
my name, I will gib it 7011." I started up, but He was 



204 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

gone. I'se sure it was Jesus, de blessed Jesus, say dem 
words. No ! marm, it warn't no dream, I broad wake 
as I is dis here minute ; dem folks all try to 'suade me 
it was a dream, but I knows better — I 'spects surely it 
was Jesus. I knows I'se on'y a poor black man, but, 
marm, He cares for the sparrows, and I sure He cares 
for me. Well, marm, I got up 'rectly, and went out 
into de woods ; I wanted to pray big, and I 'fraid I'd 
wake up dem poor fellows as was tired ; so I goes out 
into de woods, and I did'nt tink a bit 'bout de snakes, 
or de panters, or any of dem creatures — dey didn't come 
a bit into my mind. I knelt down dar in that ar' woods 
all alone, in de dark, and, oh ! how I prayed God, for 
Jesus' sake, not to let my wife go 'way widout me. 
Well, a'ter praying a good spell, I come back into de 
house, and lay down, and went to sleep. The nex' day 
I tell to de men all roun' I was going with my wife ; I 
sure of it, for Jesus tell me so. Some of dem laugh at 
me — some say : ' Well, Harry, we pray for you, too.' " 

Harry's faith did not waver, as day after day passed, 
and still no prospect appeared of his obtaining any funds 
— still, to all his companions' questions, and doubting re- 
marks, it would always be, " Yes ! I am going ; Jesus 
told me so." He heard no word till two days before the 
vessel sailed, giving him just time to reach Savannah. 
Then came the joyful tidings, " You are free!" The 
gentleman to whom he had written, had interested some 
northern friends, and the money had been made up and 
paid. He reached Savannah, and joined his wife only 
one hour before the vessel sailed. " Yes, marm, God 
does hear prayers ; an' bery, bery wicked will I be, if I 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 205 

eber doubt Him." He and his family are doing well, 
and making useful members of the community. I was 
attempting to teach him the efficacy of prayer, and he 
taught me such a lesson on faith — simple faith, taking 
Grod at his word — as I hope I may never forget. What 
simple, 'childlike faith, that man evinced. He believed 
Christ said it, and it would be so. Oh ! that we had 
more of it. We all need to say: " Lord ! I believe: 
help thou my unbelief." 

Text. — I mentioned, some time ago, that it is the 
custom at morning prayers for each one present to repeat 
a verse of Scripture. One of our school-girls is of a 
very fierce, fiery disposition. Yesterday she got into a 
desperate quarrel with one of the older boys, and, out of 
sight of the house, they had a regular pitched battle, in 
which she came off victorious. This morning, when it 
came her turn to recite — with a most demure counte- 
nance, and a loud voice, so as to be heard by all, both 
boys and girls — she repeated these words from the 
psalms : " Blessed be the Lord, my Grod, which teacheth 
my hands to war, and my fingers to fight." Of course, 
there was a suppressed titter ran round the room, for all 
had heard of the yesterday's battle. 

Cape Palmas. — I believe I have mentioned that we 
have convocation three times a year ; the ministers, 
teachers, &c, as many as practicable, being present, 
and all giving in their reports for the last four months. 
The meeting convenes on Friday morning, continuing 
through Saturday, and all remaining to commune to- 



206 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



gether on Sunday. They are very interesting, but as 
yet I have not been able to be present at one. It is to 
be held this season at the Cape. Mrs. Hoffman has 
sent me a very kind invitation to go up there (she 
feels very lonely, Mr. Hoffman and Miss Ball both 
away), but I have had so much fever lately, that I do not 
think it is prudent to incur the fatigue. I do not want 
to be laid aside again, even for a week. This constant 
fever is so debilitating, we need to be very careful not to 
Increase it. The Bishop intended going up to the Cape 
to-day, but he has a very bad boil on his knee, so that 
he cannot possibly put his foot to the ground. He, 
therefore, cannot go to-morrow ; perhaps he may be able 
to, go on Saturday, but there is not much appearance of 
that now. 

When I came out of school, to-day, Mrs. Payne told 
me that if I felt at all well enough, the Bishop wished 
me to go up to the Cape. The change may do me good. 
The " Ocean Eagle" has just arrived, and will stay a 
week there. She has brought out Rev. Mr. and Mrs. 
Bushnell, and Rev. Mr. and Mrs. McQueen, of the Ga- 
boon and Corisco missions ; and the Bishop wishes me to 
go and welcome them, and extend to them his and Mrs. 
Payne's most cordial invitations to make us a visit. 
The Bishop cannot possibly go himself ; he cannot leave 
his room. He is really very ill. We fear it is some- 
thing more than a boil ; he suffers very much. 

New Friends. — Early in the morning we started for 
the Asylum. I took Josephine with me, (one of the 
scholars) ; she is a fine girl, and I thought it would be 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 207 

a treat to her. James Barber, our printer (a colonist), 
asked to accompany me, to take care of me ; so we took 
some breakfast, and started very early. We reached the 
Cape about eleven o'clock; but before I got out of the 
hammock, there was such a scene (I had not been to 
the Cape since Miss Ball and myself had exchanged 
some months before), one of the girls spied me, and 
there was such a scream, " Miss B. — Miss B. has 
come !" and then such a rush as there was, all the 
children (they had been very fond of me, when I was 
their teacher), Auntie Dade, Eliza, and all about the 
premises were round me, dancing, shouting, screaming ; 
you never heard such a noise. They are very demon- 
strative. Mrs. Hoffman came running down to see what 
was the occasion of all the tumult, and found I was the 
innocent cause. I found Mrs. Bushnell&nd Mrs. McQueen 
in the parlor ; the gentlemen soon came in, and we had 
a very pleasant day. I found Mr. Bushnell had been kind 
enough to call and see my mothei*, before he left New- 
York, thinking it would give me pleasure to hear from 
him that he had seen her. I felt very thankful to him. 
Such little acts of kindness do nofrcost us much ; but how 
much pleasure they afford. Oh ! that the Saviour's gold- 
en rule could be more indelibly impressed on our hearts. 
They left us for the vessel, about five o'clock. They de- 
cline making us a visit at Cavalla, as they do not wish 
to sleep on shore — they fear it. It would not be plea- 
sant to have the fever, shut up in a little vessel ; and 
one night on shore may give it. 

Mr. Bushnell is to preach for us to-morrow. There was 
to have been confirmation, but the Bishop is unable to 



208 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

come. A number of the colonists have been up to see 
and welcome me ; some of my Bible and adult evening 
classes. It is very pleasant to feel you are remembered 
with affection. I met Mr. Crummell for the first time. 
I am very much pleased with him ; he is a gentleman, 
well educated, and refined, I have been bitten by some- 
thing I do not know what, but the part is very much 
swelled and inflamed ; it is very painful. I am bathing 
it with arnica. 

Carriage. — Mr. Marshall, one of the colonist mer- 
chants here, has had a little carriage made that will hold 
two persons. It is drawn by two of the natives. They 
are trying to train bullocks to use in it. Mr. Marshall 
said he was sure I was not strong enough to walk to 
church to-day, so he, very kindly, sent it up for me. 
Mrs. McQueen rode in it with me. I never can get over 
the feeling of repugnance I have at these poor natives 
being like beasts of burden. Mrs. Hoffman always goes 
to church in a hammock. Mr. Crummell, with our 
friends from the ship, dined here, but a storm coming 
up, they were obliged to hurry back to the ship. The 
captain is a little feverish. He very much dreads having 
the African fever. Before our friends left us they per- 
suaded me not to go home to-morrow, which I had 
intended to do, but to stay and go with them out to 
Mount Vaughan, and visit Mr. Crummell and his school, 
which I consented to do, as I have never been there yet. 

On Board. — The captain came and told us none of his 
passengers would be on shore to-day, as they were none of 
them very well. So he persuaded us to go on board and see 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 209 

them. We did. It was very rough. I was dreadfully 
sea-sick all day, so I did not much enjoy my visit. I 
could scarcely hold up my head when the captain put us 
down into the boat, and till I reached the shore, I was so 
deadly sick. I do not think I shall pay a visit on board 
ship again in a hurry. I took Josephine with me. I 
wanted her to see the inside of a ship, but, poor child, 
she was almost as bad as I was. Mrs. Hoffman was 
quite well, and enjoyed her visit very much. Perhaps 
this sea-sickness may be of benefit to me. My foot is 
still very much swollen and painful. I cannot think 
what it can be that has bitten me so. I have seen more 
of Dr. D'Lyon, and have had more conversation with 
him now than I have ever had before. He is a young 
colonist physician, sent out by the Board of Missions as 
a physician to our mission. He bids fair to be of much 
use, not only to the bodies but the souls of his patients. 
He seems an earnest Christian. 

Travelling. — How different travelling is hero to what 
it is at home. I am only fourteen miles from my Afri- 
can home, but cannot get there. I was so anxious to go 
to-day, for the Bishop is really very ill. He sent up for 
the doctor to-day. It is a large carbuncle he has, and he 
suffers very much with it. He must have it lanced, 
and I hope he will find some relief. The men are all 
away cutting rice, and I cannot obtain any bearers. I 
hope I shall have better success to-morrow. It has been 
so very rrugh that no one, but the captain, has ventured 
on shore from the ship. 



210 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

King Weir. — This morning the doctor told me he had 
received another note from the Bishop, and he had been 
enabled to obtain one set of bearers, and as the Bishop's 
horse was here, with both a man's saddle and a side 
saddle, I could go either way I liked. I preferred the 
horse, for though he had never had a lady on his back, 
yet I knew him to be a quiet, gentle creature, and that 
it would be impossible for him to run far on the heavy 
sands, even if so disposed. After prayers, in the morning, 
the girls crowded around me, begging me to ask permis- 
sion of Mrs. Hoffman for them to go part of the way, on 
the beach, with me. I obtained the desired permission. 
They thought I was going in a hammock, but when they 
found that I was going on horseback their delight knew 
no bounds. Mrs. Hoffman lent me an old skirt, and, she 
being very much taller than me, I contrived to pin it on 
so as to make it a very nice riding length. Against we 
arrived on the beach we had quite a procession after us ; 
the doctor in the hammock, and myself on the horse. 
When we arrived at the Devil's rock (this is very steep 
and precipitous, of which I have before spoken), I was 
obliged to dismount, and my horse was led over very 
carefully. The doctor had to lead him over, as the 
natives are all so afraid of him, none but the school-boys 
daring to touch him. I then rode on a little in advance 
of the doctor, Josephine walking and keeping up with 
me, and arrived at Graway a little before him. The 
natives, particularly the children, exhibited, on my ap- 
proach, the most ludicrous spectacles of curiosity and 
fear. While in the town, I was waiting till the doctor 
came up so my horse might have water, when one of the 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 211 

natives came to me and said, " Mammy, you must come 
off him horse, and come in house, rest yourself." He 
spoke very good English. I told him no ; it was too 
much trouble to get off my horse ; I would rather go on. 
" Yes, mammy, he must come in; my father, he King 
Weir ; he go for say so." Well, I was afraid of vexing 
him, as he is a very fine man ; the king of all these towns ; 
so I jumped off my horse and went in ; one of the 
school-boys, who was by, taking care of him. I was all 
alone; in a few minutes, however, the doctor arrived, 
and soon we had plenty of company, " come to look us," 
and completely filling up the door- ways, and excluding 
every breath of fresh air. I must describe Weir to you. 
He is a king of several towns, and calls himself a " prop- 
er gentleman." He is a tall, thin old man ; wears a dirty 
red flannel night-cap (of these they are very proud), and a 
dirty blue double gown. This is not his ordinary cos- 
tume, but he was " dressed up plenty" to receive us. 
The house in which we were is his company-house, or 
drawing-room. It is never used except for the purpose 
of receiving and entertaining visiters. There is never any 
fire or smoking allowed in it ; and everything in it is as 
neat and clean as wax. I was quite struck with its ap- 
pearance. There were a great number of boxes and 
chests arranged around the sides of the hut, several of them 
piled one on another in places, to serve as a sort of table, 
and covered with a nice white cloth, on which were dis • 
played, and arranged with very good taste, glasses and 
bottles of all sorts and varieties, colored a'nd white gob- 
lets, tumblers, and wine glasses. Hanging on the walls 
were scores of pitchers and mugs, plates and dishes, all 



212 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

very clean ; while above them again were many bright- 
colored prints. " Oh ! his house w T as proper rich house, 
and he was proper gentleman." In one corner of the 
hut was a low wooden bedstead, on it was a pallet 
stuffed with plantain leaves ; and thrown over it, for a 
quilt, a very coarse, white country cloth. It had such 
an air of cleanliness and comfort. In the middle of the 
hut stood a deal table, covered with a clean white cloth. 
At either end of this table was a plate turned down, a 
very bright and clean knife and fork, and a very hand- 
some goblet ; a decanter, likewise, filled with fresh water, 
stood on the table. It was very evident they knew we 
were coming, and preparations had been made for our 
reception. 

The " proper gentleman" soon made his appearance, 
followed by a number of other men. The outside of the 
hut w r as fringed with children. His son, the young man 
who had spoken to me outside, came in as an interpreter. 
We told the king that we were in a great hurry ; we 
could not stay, as we wanted to get home. " Oh ! we 
must stay ; he cook some chop (food of any kind) for us, 
and we must stay, eat him. Some boy he come along in 
the morning and tell him doctor-man him pass with mam- 
my by and by ; then he think he make chop for mammy ; 
mammy must go for stay eat him." There was no help 
for us, so we waited patiently for half an hour. Then 
the son took three very large covered vegetable dishes, 
and went out of the hut, he came back in a moment or 
two w 7 ith them in his hand. In an instant the hut and 
its surroundings were cleared, as if by magic, of all its 
inmates, but ourselves and the son. The young man 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 213 

invited us to sit down ; we did so, and he stood, with 
folded arms and eyes cast down, while the doctor asked 
a blessing, he then whisked off the covers with a great 
flourish. There was rice in one dish, palm butter in 
another, in the third a very fine chicken, which had been 
cooked in the palm butter. We tasted and it appeared 
very good, and after sitting a few moments we got up to 
go, but we found our host's hospitality was not ended. 
The doctor's bearers were called to eat what we had not. 
The rice was put in a large wash-bowl, a great quantity 
added to it, and the palm "butter was poured over it. 
This was set down on the ground, the chicken placed 
beside it, and the four men sat on the ground around 
them, then, with a big spoon, they each helped them- 
selves out of the dishes, and in a few minutes they were 
cleared. We then were allowed to proceed on our jour- 
ney. The spoons were used in compliment to our pres- 
ence. The usual method being for each one to put his 
hand in the dish, gather up a handful, and, after squeez- 
ing it together, with a sudden jerk to toss it into his 
mouth, when he appears to swallow it without biting. 
We found the Bishop still very unwell ; he cannot sit up 
yet. The doctor has lanced the carbuncle a second time. 
I hope he will be able to obtain some rest to-night. But, 
oh ! dear, such a greeting as I had when I went into the 
girls' school-house. I thought they would have torn my 
clothes to pieces in their enthusiasm ; each one trying 
to get my hand first, and to shake hardest. It is very 
pleasant to feel you have the love of these poor heathens. 
May God give us grace to lead them to Him, to show them 
the love of the precious Saviour. And now I am back 



214 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

there, in my own room. Truly, I feel it is " domum^ do- 
mum, dolce domumP 

Lucia. — Would that I had Dickens' powers of de- 
scription, but I have not, so you must be content with 
the best I can do. 

Lucia went with me to town, as my interpreter, to- 
day. "Well, but first let me describe Lucia, I have 
spoken of her several times, and she is one of those on 
whom I place a high estimation. Lucia Byrd is one of 
the girls in our first class. She is a large, stout girl — 
a member of the Church, and, I think, a sincere Chris- 
tian. She must be about eighteen years old. She is a 
very retiring, diffident girl, and you must take pains and 
wait patiently for awhile before you understand Lucia's 
character — but when you do know it, you find it some- 
thing worth knowing. She is a girl of sterling integ- 
rity. She w r as brought to school a little child — but she 
has never been known to tell a lie. You can always 
depend upon her word, and trust her implicitly. Before 
you know her she seems to be very cold and stern, but 
she has a warm, loving, grateful, and affectionate heart. 
Once gain Lucia's love, and you can do anything with 
her — but you must understand her to do this. A short 
time since Mrs. Payne had a box sent to her from Sa- 
vannah, and in it there was a very pretty bright pink 
dress for Lucia, sent to her by the lady who supports her 
here in the school. Her name was on it, and the name 
of the lady who sent it. We called Lucia into the house 
and gave the dress to her. To see her face was a per- 
fect treat. I think the lady would have felt herself 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 215 

well repaid could she have seen it. It brightened all 
over — there was no need for her to say how thankful she 
was — her face told it. She looked at the dress, turned 
it over, the tears came into her eyes, and at length, 
almost choking, she turned to Mrs. Payne, " Thank you, 
thank you ; I'm too good for it." (She meant, it is too 
good for me.) I wish, occasionally, friends in America 
would send a little present to each one by name, it elicits 
so much gratitude to think they are personally remem- 
bered. 

Lucia is a beautiful sewer. You could not desire any- 
thing to be done more neatly than Lucia does it. She 
often earns a few shillings by sewing, out of school hours, 
making cloths for the natives, &c. ; these pay her in to- 
bacco, cloth, &c, which is the same here as money. In 
all her studies she does well, and anything that she does 
not understand, she will not rest till she comes to her 
teacher to have it explained. It is a pleasure to teach 
her. She has no father — he died about six months ago. 
Her mother has been accused of being a witch, and has 
run away to escape the Gidu. 

To-day, as Lucia entered a hut, I paused for an instant 
at the door, exclaiming, " Oh, Macbeth !" The woman 
to whom this hut belongs is noted for her untidiness. In 
the centre of the floor is the fire-place, which, I think I 
told you before, is formed of three circular uprights 
made of mortar, about six inches in diameter. Between 
these, on the ground, the fire is made. On this fire was 
a large black pot, and around it sat three withered crones, 
wrinkled and haggard — two with their heads shaved, and 
the third with her hair plaited in little tails, standing out 



216 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

all over her her head, looking exactly like the picture of 
Bellona, in our old school books. A very little imagina- 
tion might make you take them for small snakes. She 
was leaning over a little, peering into the pot. The 
other two were sitting on the ground — their knees drawn 
up close to their bodies — a favorite position ; their hands 
and chins resting on their knees. These were rocking 
themselves back and forth, making a low moaning sound. 
The whole upper part of the hut was filled with a dense 
smoke — it was only those portions near the ground that 
were visible. Near one of the crones lay a child, in the 
most crumpled up form you can imagine ; from its po- 
sition you would have supposed it must be a corpse just 
cast down, and might imagine the unseen arms to form 
part of the ingredients of the pot. Scattered about in 
every direction were a number of little bowls, pots and 
pans, all black. The country manufactures, baskets, 
bowls, pans, &c, are all black. In front of one of the 
women was a small wooden bowl, and she had yet the 
pounder between her hands which she had been using. 
Altogether, it was the most weird looking scene I ever 
witnessed. They did not rise to greet me, but held out 
their hands as if pleased to see me. Then, in a low do- 
lorious voice, one of them began telling a long story to 
Lucia. At length Lucia rose in a hurry, without wait- 
ing for me to say anything to them. So I went to the 
one that appeared in the most trouble, and showed her, 
by my manner, that I felt sorry for her. I then pointed 
upward, and told them to " Bede Nyesoa" (pray to God), 
and left them. I could not persuade Lucia to tell me what 
was the matter. She very often seems ashamed to have 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 217 

us know the strange things that go on among her people. 
I wish she were not quite so reserved. 

Another house I went to, the woman told me that 
they, meaning some of the missionaries, " used to give 
her tobacco, but now she been to church three, four 
Sunday, and she have no tobacco give ; she no go again." 
I told her if that was all she went to church for she had 
better stay away — tobacco was never given her for that. 
Mrs. Payne, on her rounds, found a woman who said 
she would not come to church to-morrow. She is tak- 
ing sassa-wood. Often, if they are accused of witch- 
craft, even if no action is taken against them, rather 
than suffer under the imputation, they will take it at 
home themselves. But when they do this they have to 
take it three times, if they live — two or three days in- 
tervening between each dose — during which time they 
do not go out. 

Yesterday there was a great noise in town — beating of 
drums, dancing, shouting, &c. They were making a 
grand gree-gree for good luck. Their rice is very poor, and 
there is a great deal of sickness and death among them. 
All the devil doctors, from a long distance round, were 
present. 

The Bishop is much better ; able to move about his 
room again. 

Reveries. — " Lord increase our faith." Sometimes 
the deep ignorance, darkness, and degradation of the 
people, seems to have a most saddening and depressing 
effect on the spirits. 

It has been a very cloudy day to-day. This evening, 

10 



218 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

about sunset, I sat looking out upon the mighty waters, 
when the clouds thickened and deepened very fast ; a 
heavy squall was coming up. One cloud was very thick 
and heavy, and seemed almost to touch the waves, which 
rolled in wild confusion, dashing and breaking on the 
rocks, and on each other, in their mad fury. The scene 
appeared to me so much to resemble the moral or spirit- 
ual condition of the people — in wild confusion dashing 
on the rocks of superstition, destroying and being de- 
stroyed ; their gree-grees and sassa destroying both soul 
and body, while a heavy cloud of gross ignorance broods 
over their minds. Yet while I sat sadly gazing at it, 
gradually the scene began to change ; it was slow, oh ! 
so slow ; but from the train my thoughts had taken, you 
cannot imagine with what intense interest I watched 
it. At first there appeared the faintest streak of light 
on that heavy cloud, and as it slowly increased, the cloud 
became gradually lifted up and rolled back, till at length 
the intense blackness remained only on the edge of the 
horizon. And where the first faint light had appeared 
it gradually brightened, and brightened, till just in that 
little spot the cloud rolled away for an instant, and the 
moon appeared, struggling feebly with the surrounding 
darkness, and apparently vainly endeavoring to make her 
light visible. For a time there seemed a great struggle 
which would gain the victory, darkness or light. For a 
time the thick clouds would roll over the moon, and it 
would seem as if her light was entirely put out — that 
the darkness was too thick for her to penetrate ; but 
gradually you would see those clouds become less and 
less, till there would only light fleecy ones pass over her. 



EVERY-DAY 'LIFE IN AFRICA, 219 

For, though they appeared dense and heavy at a distance, 
as they approached nearer and nearer to her, they be- 
came brighter and lighter. At length she had formed 
a bright little spot around her, while the rays issuing from 
that spot spread in every direction, and her gentle beams 
had subdued, in some measure, the tumult of the waves. 
Yet still she shone with a very pale and feeble light ; 
she was not half full, and therefore, was not turned en- 
tirely, but only partially toward the sun, and so she but 
feebly reflected his rays. I kept gazing with eager, 
anxious eyes on this scene, for I had in my own mind 
personified it. The moon was the Church of Grod, strug- 
gling through clouds of affliction, darkness, doubts, 
ignorance, and superstition, to shed a few rays of light 
on benighted Africa. And often when that light has 
been dimmed, obscured, or apparently put out, it ap- 
pears again, gradually piercing and dissipating the dark- 
ness, reflecting the rays of the " Sun of righteousness." 
Her light is so feeble and dim, because she only so par- 
tially reflects his beams — she is not turned wholly unto 
Him. 

After service, when we came out of church, the moon 
was sailing calmly and peacefully in the heavens — not 
a cloud to be seen. It seemed to me a very pale, but a 
very holy and pure light. So may it be with the 
" Church of the living Grod." May her light gently but 
surely dissipate the clouds of darkness, vice and super- 
stition ; and however pale, and weak, and feeble her 
radiance, yet may it all be reflected from the " Sun of 
righteousness," and may she daily and hourly turn more 
and more toward Him, so that she may be constantly on 



220 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

the increase, till her light shall irradiate, not only this 
continent, but all the dark places of the earth. 

Stores froiM Home. — My box has arrived. Many 
thanks, kind friends ; many little kind remembrances 
from one and another. You cannot imagine how good 
anything from home tastes — and as to the pickles, I will 
only say you would have had your pay for them could 
you see us enjoy them. Though we can learn to take 
with a thankful heart such things as we can ordinarily 
obtain here, yet we can enjoy creature comforts when 
we get them as well as any one. We do not, any of us, 
belong to the school of stoics. 

The Bishop came out into the parlor to-day. It is so 
pleasant to see him about again. We are a small family 
— we cannot spare one. Mr. Payne is sick to-night, 
however, with fever. So we play a perpetual game of 
see-saw — one up, the other down. 

Transmigration. — These people have a strangely 
mingled creed. They believe somewhat in the transmi- 
gration of souls, and that the spirits of the departed like 
to hover round their former haunts. Therefore, though 
they do not hesitate to kill every species of animals out- 
side the town, they will kill none in town, for fear it 
might be a spirit who would harm them. I cannot 
understand what difference being inside or outside of 
the town, can make, but I suppose they do. The Bishop 
heard a man addressing a Guano (a large species of 
lizard, quite savage) that was lying along his fence : " I 
pray you go away; please let me pray you go from 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 221 

here." He would not touch it, though he wanted it 
gone. The spirit, he thought, knew what he said, hence 
his politeness. 

Rumors. — We are growing very short of rice — if we 
do not have supplies soon from somewhere we shall be 
badly off. So many children, and nothing to give them 
to eat ; but we must have faith. " The Lord will pro- 
vide." Mrs. Payne down with the fever again, and I 
am troubled with boils. 

I believe I told you that in the war two }^ears ago, be- 
tween the natives and the colonists, at Cape Palmas, the 
colonists burnt the native towns, and made them move 
across to the other side of the river. They never have 
liked it there, and though they have built some new 
towns, they have never seemed settled, but always say 
they are coming back. We hear a rumor to-night (how 
true it is we do not know) that the natives have declared 
war with the colonists. Poor Mrs. Hoffman will be in a 
great fright if it is so ; but she need not fear, they would 
not touch anything belonging to the mission ; " The Lord 
our God is with us." 

Mrs. Payne and myself constant chills and fever 
again. This it is that breaks down the constitution. 
Chills and fever all the time, at all seasons of the year, 
no frost to break it up. 

All quiet at the Cape. Strange it is how our feelings 
change. I used to think that it would be impossible for 
me to sleep in a room in which I knew any one had 
breathed their last. There is not, however, a bedroom 
in the mission in which the last enemy has not appeared. 



222 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

But, thanks be to God, robbed of his sting, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord, it has only been to open the por- 
tals of everlasting day. I never think of those that have 
left us with the feelings I used to fancy I should asso- 
ciate with the place of their departure, but I rather 
think of each room as the gate of heaven. May the 
place of my departure, wherever it may be, be such to 
me. "Living or dying, may I be the Lord's." Oh! 
here in Africa, if in any place, we ought to try to re- 
alize that " to live is Christ's and to die is gain." 

Music. — Yesterday (Sunday) I was very ill all day. 
Calomel again — it seems to be the only remedy. Mrs. 
Payne ill also, so they had no ladies at table. (I 
believe I have forgotten to mention that Mr. J. "Wilson, 
our teacher in the boys' school, and Mr. J. Barber, our 
printer, both colonist young men, take their meals with 
us). The Bishop sent us word, however, that he was so 
well he was eating enough for us all. 

Last evening, while lying in bed, I was listening to 
nature's melody. The humming of the insects, grass- 
hoppers, katydids, and others, such as we have not at 
home ; the soft low sighing of the cocoanut trees ; the 
shrill yet melodious notes of the night birds, and the deep 
low base of old ocean's ceaseless roar. It was music, 
sweet music, arising to the " Giver of good." And then 
I thought of the heathen towns around whence no sweet 
melody arises ; no hearts are tuned to sing His praise, 
" Only man is vile," and a sadness was fast creeping 
over my spirit, when suddenly from the school-house, 
which is just at the end of my piazza, and where even- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 223 

ing service is held, burst forth in triumphal tones, as it 
seemed to me, from sometime heathen lips, the glad 
song of praise, " It is a good thing to give thanks unto 
the Lord." Oh ! how instantly it changed the current 
of my thoughts, from sadness and despondency at the 
great work to be done, to joy and gratitude for what Grod 
has already wrought here. 

Mrs. Payne has just received another box. Her friends 
are very kind. These people live in a constant state 
of fear, the one idea of witchcraft forever haunting 
them — either the dread of being witched by others, 
or being so accused themselves. They believe that 
each one possesses the power, but it is only a few that 
use it, and they are only accused of being witches when 
it is supposed they use the power they possess. Even 
long after they become Christians they have a secret 
dread of this. It is one of the hard things to root out. 

A Pleasant Day. — I have had a very pleasant day 
in school to-day, but to explain it I must go back. Mr. 
Hoffman, once a month, has all the Sunday-schools from 
different stations in his vicinity meet at St. Mark's church. 
He catechises them, talks to them, etc., and recently they 
have all formed into little missionary classes, like ours at 
home, and they bring in their contributions once a month. 
When Mr. Williams was here he was very much pleased 
with the plan. Before he went away he begged the 
children at the Cape, and those here, to write to his chil- 
dren, at Monrovia. He thought it would do them good to 
correspond. But I must tell you who I mean by his 
children. Every Sunday, after afternoon service, when 



224 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



he goes home to his house, all the children, big and little, 
of every class and denomination, that choose to collect, 
come to his room. He talks to them, prays with them, 
and they sing together, and they have a very pleasant 
meeting, for he loves children, and loves to " feed Christ's 
lambs," and they love him very much, and gather in 
crowds into his room, to be fed with the sincere milk of 
the Word. These are his children, with whom ours are 
to correspond. There were a number of letters written 
from our children and from those at the Asylum. Last 
night we received an answer from him and from several of 
his children. This morning I took his letter with me into 
the school-room — the children had become very fond of 
him while he was here — and read it to them, Mrs. Gril- 
let interpreting. When I want all the little ones to 
know what I say, I am obliged to have her interpret for 
me. He spoke of his children having formed themselves 
into little missionary classes, and the pleasurable feeling 
it had excited among them. I had to stop and explain 
it all to our children, and immediately there was such a 
burst of enthusiasm. They must try and do the same ; 
they must try and give something for their little hea- 
then brothers and sisters. Some of the elder girls can, 
occasionally, earn a trifle by their needle. They are 
good sewers, and in whatever way they can they will 
try and give their mite to send the good news farther. 
It will be but a mite, indeed, that can be given, but it 
is the heart God looks at. So we formed the school into 
one class, the " Anna Payne Class," and we shall have 
our box to begin on Monday next. I have told the 
children that if either of them put tobacco, or pipes, or 



s. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 225 

whatever they may receive as money, in the box, I will 
take it out and put money in its place. May Grod bless 
our feeble effort. Every cent put into that box will be 
hardly earned. 

Dawba. — We have had a very painful occurrence to- 
day. Dawba, one of the Christian natives, of whom we 
all thought so highly (he seemed to be so deeply interested 
in all religious things), has been proved to be a thief. He 
had stolen a sheep, and some of it was found in his 
house. We all feel so sorry; we thought him such 
a good man. He is very poor and sickly. I do not know 
how he will pay for it. May Grod give him true repent- 
ance. 

The " palava" is entirely settled at the Cape. No 
thoughts of war. They have banished old Dawba from 
town. It seems he is an inveterate thief, and all the 
time he has been making a profession of religion he has 
been carrying on his thievish propensities. What a bitter 
disappointment it is to the missionary to see such a case 
of hypocrisy, and yet they, like other ministers of the 
Gospel, must expect some such trials always. In all 
places the evil one is busy at work " sowing tares among 
the wheat." 

10* 



226 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 



ENTHUSIASM. 

I never earnestly desired the gift of writing, I mean both 
the mechanical and mental powers, but more particularly 
the latter, as I have done since I have been in Africa. 
Oh ! that my pen could be formed and tempered in the 
" fire of the altar." That it had a point which would 
write on the hardest heart. But I must remember " the 
race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong." 
I have heard it said that if we only feel earnestly in our 
own hearts, in any cause we are pleading, we shall make 
others feel it too. And yet how strange, in the cause of 
religion, enthusiasm is pronounced fanaticism ; aye, often 
even by professors of religion themselves. We must'be 
moderate, calm, and cool. The man who sees his 
neighbor's house in flames, and his wife and children 
perishing, would rush eagerly to the rescue, but the 
Christian, who sees thousands about " to dwell with ever- 
lasting burning," must stand calmly by. His fellow 
Christians, as well as others, telling him it is not his 
duty to expose himself to injury. He who should see a 
blind man walking on the edge of a precipice, liable, at 
any moment, to fall and be dashed to pieces, and did not 
hasten to his rescue, even though at some risk to him- 
self, would be thought a weak coward, worthy only of 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 227 

our contempt ; yet, he who runs a slight risk to his 
own health and personal comfort, in seeking to save 
many from the " gulf of fearful perdition," is a fanatic. 
Would that men would have a little more honesty, and 
call things by their right names. Is that sailor a fanatic 
who, obedient to his captain's command, in momentary 
peril of his life, hastens aloft, amid the howling storm 
and tempest, to use measures to save the ship from 
being dashed upon the rocks ? Yet, he is such who 
ventures his all to save others from eternal shipwreck. 
It is not fanaticism for a man to set before him one 
earthly object of ambition, whether it be wealth, fame, 
knowledge, or any other earthly goods, and to pursue 
this one object with all his powers. Oh, no ! this is all 
lawful, and right, and even praiseworthy. But let their 
one end and aim be the adding new subjects to the Re- 
deemer's kingdom ; the seeking and finding precious 
jewels, to shine for ever and ever ; the desire to carry 
forward the triumphs of the cross ; to add fresh laurels 
to -the Saviour's erown ; to diffuse knowledge in the dark 
places of the earth ; those who do this are fanatics. May 
we pray to God, earnestly, for more of these fanatics to 
come forth to Africa. 

This morning, instead of our usual prayers, we were 
all collected in the church, to attend the baptism of an- 
other of our older boys. He has only been in the school 
about a year. He is eighteen years old. The Bishop is 
very particular in watching the conduct, and duly ex- 
amining the knowledge of those who make a profession, 
before he allows them to come forward. It is the young 
— those who are trained in our schools, who for years 



228 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

have been under Christian teaching and example — it is 
they must be the hope of Africa ; for those who become 
Christians after they are advanced in life, it is such a 
constant struggle, with the wickedness around and with- 
in them. Life-long habits of sin and guilt to be con- 
tinually fought against, with, by no means a full, strong, 
and clear notion of the holiness and purity of the religion 
of Jesus. It is to our schools we must look ; it is those 
who have been educated there that we must send forth 
as teachers and preachers ; and yet think, with their 
Bibles in their hands, of their Saviour's last command (in 
the strong, imperative mood) : " Go into all the world, 
and preach the Gospel." Hundreds and hundreds of 
young men in America, professing to be followers of 
Christ, can read again and again that passage, " Go" 
and yet not see that the Saviour addresses them. No 
young man, outside of the ministry, seems to think for 
an instant it is his duty to give up worldly gain and 
worldly profit, to obey Jesus' command to " Gro, and 
teach all nations." Not one can hear the Saviour's in- 
junction to the young man in the Gospel addressed to 
himself: " Go, sell all that thou hast, and come follow 
me." We want teachers, as well as pastors. Are 
there none, not one, of our professing Christian young 
men, who can give up all worldly aggrandizement, that 
they may obtain a crown, adorned with many jewels, 
gathered from Afric's burning sands ? Our pastors have 
now more than they can do ; they have vowed solemnly 
to devote themselves to the work of preaching. Oh ! 
that they may have their hands held up. Oh ! that the 
Spirit of God, which has been so abundantly poured 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 229 

forth on our land, may awaken many to come forth to 
assist the pastor in " feeding the lambs of the flock." 
May that message sound in many hearts : " Go, ye." 
Oh ! that Zion would awake, and put on all her strength 
for the conflict, that her young men may come forth as 
an army, glorious with banners. 

Letters. — I must give you some account of a gift 
we have received, at Christmas-time, by the " Stevens." 
Miss Williford received a few Testaments from a little 
child in Philadelphia. No name was given, with the 
wish that they should be given to some of the children 
here. As they had just received a little Christmas 
token each, Miss Williford thought she would not give 
them to the children then, but reserve them for a short 
time. When the " Stevens" came out this last time, 
she brought a few more Testaments, and a number of 
other pretty little books, with this note : 

Philadelphia, March 8, 1858. 
My dear little Children : 

I heard that a vessel was going to sail for Africa, and 
have been saving some money, with which I determined 
to buy some books to send you. My little sister thought 
that she would like to give some of her money to buy a 
few little books, to send you. She is nearly four years 
old. We have a map of the African mission, which has 
a map of the Grrebo country, and a great many pictures ; 
and, when I look up at it, I often think of you, and love 
you very much. The books that were sent to you, about 
January, 1857, were bought from the money saved by a 



230 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

little boy — who had died just before, " who always 
showed great love for the heathen.'' I want to speak 
about him ; he was my dear little brother ; and if you re- 
member getting them, I wish you would let me know, 
through the a Carrier Dove," which I take. 
I remain, ever your little friend, 

Johnny R . 

I took the little books and the letter into the school- 
room, I read it, talked to the children a good while 
about it, and had the note, and what I said, interpreted 
to them for me, by Mrs. Grillet (my assistant in school), 
for the benefit of those who did not sufficiently under- 
stand English. [ wanted them thoroughly to appreciate 
the self-denial that is practised very often by our little 
darlings at home, who have been taught that most beau- 
tiful law of love : " My neighbor is everybody — all my 
fellow-creatures." The children, even the very smallest, 
listened with great interest. It would have given you 
great pleasure, if you could have looked in upon us ; 
and when I called the six elder girls, and gave them the 
books that had been purchased by the money of the little 
departed one (and that perhaps he was permitted to know 
that now they were receiving his dying gift), there were 
tears in the eyes of all ; and some were sobbing. They 
will value those books, not only as being the precious 
Book of Grod, but as having other sacred associations 
attached to them. I think, if little Johnny could have 
been there, he would have been quite sure his brother's 
gifts, at all events, were appreciated. The older girls 
always see the " Carrier Dove," and they thought they 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 231 

would like to thank Johnny themselves ; so I let two of 
them write. One has never attempted to write before ; 
the other has written once or twice to her friends here. 
These letters I shall send to the " Carrier Dove." # I 
would say these notes are entirely their own, only they 
sat by my side, and would ask me if each word was 
right, as they wrote. This is one answer. 

My little Friend: 

"We all feel very much pleasure for your little Testa- 
ments, which you sent us. We thank you very much, 
and very much obliged to you for your kindness to- 
wards us. Again and again, more thankful to our 
heavenly Father, who had put it into your heart to be- 
stow on us such nice books. I think we must have 
kind friends in America ; they often send us nice little 
presents ; we thank them in our hearts very much, though 
we know not how to tell it you in English words, but 
our hearts feel it. "We know, for our teachers have told 
us, that many little children in America save their pen- 
nies, that are given them to buy candies and play-things, 
and send them to us. We cannot pay them, but God 
can. I hope Grod will ever bless you. 

Your true friend, 

Lucia Byrd. 

This is the other letter that was written in answer : 

My dear little Friend : 

I know that you love me, and I love you, too. When 
I see your little books, which you sent unto us, then I 

* They have since been printed. 



232 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

know you love me ; for when we love any one> we like 
to think of them, to please them, and to do them good. 
One of my companions has written you a letter, but I 
thought you would like to know that there is more than 
one of us who lived once without God, are thankful that 
we have kind friends, who come here to teach us about 
our Saviour, and that we have more kind friends in 
America who love us, and think of us, and pray to God 
for us. May God, my Father, and your Father, ever 
bless you. So prays your thankful friend, 

Josephine Williford. 

Josephine. — Suppose I tell you something about the 
last writer, and it gives me great pleasure to speak of 
her. She is a good, dear little girl, about fourteen, and 
has a very pleasant face and form. She is very dark, 
but not black ; and has a very bright, sweet smile. 
She is a member of the Church, and strives earnestly to 
walk answerable to her Christian calling. She is a 
very studious child, of bright intellect ; and, though the 
youngest, stands first in her class. In school, she never 
has to be spoken to for laughing, playing or talking. 
She is an excellent sewer, is very neat and clean in her 
person, and very particular about her clothes, that they 
should fit neatly, &c. ; for, while we endeavor to dis- 
courage anything like pride or vanity in dress, at the 
same time we feel that a proper regard to their appear- 
ance, is necessary to inculcate self-respect. They are, 
therefore, never allowed to make their appearance in the 
school-room with soiled or torn dresses, unwashed faces 
or hands, or uncombed hair. Josephine will make a 
fine woman, if God spares her life. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 233 

The Gtarden Graves. — "We have a beautiful garden. 
The Bishop is very fond of flowers. The first thing in 
the morning he plucks a tiny boquet for Mrs. Payne 
and myself, which we wear through the day. This is 
to show he has no " palaver" with us. Every species of 
flowers, that can be raised here, are cultivated. The 
children need to have their tastes elevated, and their 
love of the beautiful encouraged. But there is one spot 
that I love best in the garden. In one corner, under the 
shade of some lofty trees, are the graves of the mis- 
sionaries. The coral plant, and the beautiful mimosa, 
grow in rich luxuriance around. Mrs. Payne's grave is 
the last that has been added to those already here. The 
low moaning of the trees, and the constant murmur of 
the waves, sing their unceasing requiem over those 
graves. Here their ashes shall peacefully repose, till 
the trump on the resurrection morn shall call them 
forth, to greet, oh ! with what joy, the many who, 
through their instrumentality, (perhaps, for many gene- 
rations) have been brought home to Grod ; and then they, 
as having " turned manv to righteousness," shall shine 
as the stars, for ever and ever. 

There's a sacred spot, near the ocean's strand, 
Safe guarded and held by a Mighty hand, 
Where, in calm repose, lay a noble band, 

Asleep in Jesus. 

Forth, far from their own native land, they came, 
To teach to the heathen that precious Name 
That they love so well ; to ignite the flame 

Of love to Jesus. 



234 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

And here they are laid ; the ocean's loud roar 
Their requiem sings, but disturbs them no more. 
Yes, sweetly they rest ; their labor is o'er, 

At home, with Jesus. 

Close in our view do their loved forms lie ; 
To them it was glory — 'twas bliss — to die ! 
Man may forget them ; their record's on high, 

Inscribed by Jesus. 

And when the archan gel's last trump shall sound, 
To wake from the dead the sleepers around, 
Who, through them, with joy everlastingly crowned, 

Sing praise to Jesus. 

Joyfully, then, their voices they'll raise, 
All joining the song of exulting praise, 
To Him they all worship ; " The Ancient of Days," 

Redeemed by Jesus. 

The Missionary Box. — "We commenced with our mis- 
sionary box to-day, and had fifty cents put in — more, a 
great deal, than I had expected ; for you know that there 
are hut very few of these children that ever have a cent, 
and when they do, it is very hardly earned. "We also 
determined on something else to-day. Every Tuesday 
afternoon (it is the only one that either the girls or my- 
self can possibly spare), we are going to collect all, both 
girls and boys, that will come from town, and see what 
we can do in the way of instructing them. It will be 
but little, of course, in such a short time, but still it will 
be something. I am to be superintendent, the elder girls 
assisting me. Thus I want to teach them to become 
missionaries in turn. They are all willing to try to do 
what they can. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 235 

The Girls' School. — The Bishop and Mrs. Payne are 
gone to the Cape to-day, so I am " all alone in my 
glory." We commenced our school, within a school, to- 
day. We had forty-seven little heathen, only one of 
whom had even the vestige of a rag on. They are of all 
ages, from four to fourteen. I have twelve teachers, each 
industrious and earnest in their work. Each one had 
been to town, and collected her own class, most of them 
children in some way related to her. Our children, as 
soon as they know their Saviour, seem so anxious to 
teach Him to others ; even the little things, five or six 
years old, when they go to town, among their compan- 
ions, will repeat to them their little hymns and texts, 
and tell them God made them, and Jesus, the Son of 
God, came into the world and died for them, to save 
them from being punished. I had told my teachers that 
there was one thing I must insist upon — that the chil- 
dren all had clean faces and hands. I went into the 
school-room about three o'clock, and there were about 
twenty little urchins sitting quite demurely ; but when 
I went toward the back door, there was a most amusing 
sight. There stood a very large wash-tub, and between 
one and two dozen little specimens of humanity, each 
one waiting for his or her turn to be — well, it did not 
seem like washed ; it was more like rasping. This pro- 
cess was superintended by two of our young ladies, real 
go-ahead youngsters, about fourteen years of age, who 
felt themselves exceedingly large in the momentary 
power they possessed. They enjoyed it vastly, and the 
children submitted to it with all imaginable patience. 
Poor little ones ! God grant that they may be washed in 



236 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

the fountain open for sin and uncleanness. After ap- 
pointing them their separate places, I called one of the 
older girls beside me, as an interpreter, and made her 
tell them that there was one God, who made them all and 
took care of them all, and that they must pray to Him. 
She then taught them a few words of prayer, making 
them all repeat it till they knew it. This, she told them, 
they were to say night and morning. I then told them 
a little story, which much pleased them. Then, distrib- 
uting primers to the teachers, there was soon a perfect 
bedlam — so many voices repeating, in the highest ca- 
dences, A, B, C, &c. Before closing, I made them all 
learn the first verse of " Happy Land," which the 
Bishop has translated into the Grrebo language. But 
when they attempted to sing it, it was truly ludicrous. 
They soon got the tune, but as to the time, it was no- 
where. I talked to them again, and then dismissed 
them, with a short prayer. So our school has begun. 

Patience. — It is very difficult to get any work done 
here. The natives have no idea of the value of time. 
"We have to learn patience. Mr. Dorsen is here again. 
This is the third time he has been up to try and get men 
to carry down plank for the repairing of his house (about 
twenty miles off his station is), but again he is disap- 
pointed. Last night a number of men promised him to 
go ; this morning they refuse. Several " devil doctors" 
are in town, and to-day they are going to make a big 
gree-gree, and offer sacrifices to the devil. All, there- 
fore, are forbidden to go to sea, to fish, to go out of 
town, or to do any kind of work. So Mr. Dorsen has had 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 237 

to go home, disappointed again. The Bishop and Mrs. 
Payne have come home to-day. He has preached at eight 
different places in the three days. In town, to-day, I 
felt almost disposed to be angry at the hardness and de- 
pravity of the human heart. It is slow work, the work 
of faith — teaching these people. Oh ! for more of the 
Spirit's influences. I often come home, thanking God, 
" Who hath made me to differ." It seems almost im- 
possible to believe that the Anglo-Saxon race were ever 
so far sunk in barbarism. 

Superstition. — I was asking the Bishop to-night what 
the sacrifice to the devil was for yesterday. He said, 
" The people believe the spirits of the departed (the Kwi) 
keep watch about the town, and when the people do any- 
thing they do not like, they send trouble upon them. 
Now, at this time, their rice is very bad, and they can 
catch no fish. So a demon doctor told them that the 
spirit of one of the head-men, who died about six months 
ago, was angry with them, because there are so many 
witches and bad people about town. So they must sac- 
rifice to appease him." Poor people! whom " the devil 
leads captive at his will." 

We just hear that an English cruiser has taken a so- 
called French emigrant ship, but in reality a slaver, and 
has carried her into Sierra Leone. We had our afternoon 
school to-day, and, upon questioning the children, I was 
surprised to find how much they remembered of what 
they had been taught last week. 

Cape P almas — Mrs. Hoffman not at all well. She 



238 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

fears she is going to have the fever ; and as Mr. Hoff- 
man and Miss Ball are still away, I started off very early 
this morning, to "be with her in case of her being ill. I, 
however, found her much better than I expected. I 
shall remain a day or two. The Bishop came up with 
me, stopping on the way to preach at two towns. We 
had heard that the American frigate Dale was anchored 
off the Cape ; and as the Bishop was well acquainted 
with, and had received many little acts of kindness from, 
the captain and officers, he came up purposely to see 
them ; but just as we arrived, we saw the vessel start 
off, under full sail. The Bishop returned home again 
this afternoon. I fear the journey has done me no good, 
as my fever is very high again. 

Mount Yaughan. — Feeling better again to-day, I ac- 
cepted Mr. Marshall's kind offer of his little carriage to 
take me to Mount Yaughan. Mr. J. Thompson (a colo- 
nist) went with me. "We had three native men, two to 
draw and one to push us, and we went along very nicely. 
Mount Yaughan is about three miles from the Cape. A 
very good road has been formed between the two places, 
lined on either side, for some distance, with very beau- 
tiful trees — palm and others. The situation of the mis- 
sion-house is very fine, on the summit of a high hill, 
which slopes down to the road, the slope completely cov- 
ered with young coffee and orange trees. All the trees 
and shrubbery were destroyed during the late war, as 
well as the buildings, so that these are quite young. The 
house is a fine large one ; it has a very extensive view, 
and, indeed, it is altogether a lovely spot. The mission 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 239 

stations, so far as I have yet seen, are all of them se- 
lected with great regard to beauty of locality. Mr. and 
Mrs. Crummell were quite pleased to see us. We 
only had time to make a short call, but we enjoyed it 
much. 

Home. — Finding Mrs. Hoffman so much better than I 
had expected, there was no need to be absent from my 
work, so I am home again. It really is worth going 
away, for the sake of the welcome on our return. Mrs. 
Hoffman has had a letter from Mr. Hoffman. The ves- 
sel they are in would not stop with them at the Cape, so 
they are on their way to Monrovia, and will have to re- 
main there till some vessel is coming down the coast. 
They are both (Miss Ball and Mr. Hoffman) much bene- 
fitted by the voyage. 

Cruelty. — Last Wednesday, before I left home, Be- 
dell, one of our native teachers, from Rocktown, was 
here to tea. He told us that the Sunday previous a lit- 
tle child of three years old had been missed, and the peo- 
ple were afraid that he was witched. Yesterday we 
heard that a witch man had carried him away, and 
buried him. The poor little child has been found, hav- 
ing evidently been buried alive. You see a witch is re- 
ally another name for foe, or enemy. As yet they have 
not discovered who did it. On Saturday, Doctor D'Lyon, 
with Mr. Thompson, were visiting a heathen town, near 
the Cape, when they called the Doctor to a woman who 
had just fallen down dead, with apoplexy. She was 
busy about her work, when she suddenly dropped dead. 



240 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Of course, the people supposed she was witched ; and 
when her friends began to weep and mourn, they were 
shut up in a hut, it being believed that some of her own 
near relatives had done it. The Doctor explained to % 
them the nature of the disease, and told them that many- 
died of it in our country ; but they turned a deaf ear to 
all he had to say, and probably several will pass through 
the sassa ordeal for this. 

A poor woman, living in Fishtown, had an only child, 
whom she loved very dearly. Last week it was taken 
ill, and died. She was instantly accused of witching it, 
and the heart-broken mother was condemned to death. 
Surely these people live all their time in bondage, being 
subject to the fear of death. None are, for an instant, 
safe. 

Crazy Man. — We heard rather a singular incident 
while we were stopping to rest at Graway. King Wier 
(I find he is Paddock's father), at whose house we were, 
told us that there is a crazy T man in his town ; and this 
crazy man came to him the other day, and said to him : 
" I see the spirit of your father ; I see the spirits of your 
brothers. They come to me ; they say you go for see 
King Wier. You tell him, we say he must mind Grod's 
things ; they be true things. You must do good fashion ; 
you must leave country fashion. You must keep the 
Sunday — you must make your people keep the Sunday 
— so you no come to hell. We be in hell. You no come 
there." This has alarmed Wier very much, and he says 
he means to make his people keep Sunday. He seems 
to feel very serious about it. What if God has employed 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 241 

the instrumentality of a crazy heathen man to effect this 
great object (the observance of the Sabbath), that the 
missionary has so long been endeavoring to accomplish ? 
This crazy man never himself believed in the Gospel, 
though he has frequently heard it preached. 

" By weakest instruments, and most unlikely means, 
Full oft are great events produced." 

Nya. — There is a poor young man in town, a Chris- 
tian, named Nye, who has had a dreadful leg for a long 
time. At length, the Bishop persuaded him to have it 
amputated. Dr. Fletcher* came down from the Cape 
to-day, to assist Dr. D'Lyon. They gave the man ether, 
and he was utterly unconscious till the limb was off. 
They say " kobi" (foreigners) are great devil-men — they 
can do everything. The astonishment at the effect of 
the ether is boundless. 

Beauty. — They have a legend among the people, that 
when Grod first made man, He made the black man and 
the white man. The black was the oldest brother ; and 
Nye-soa (Grod) came and asked him which he w r ould like 
— a beautiful country, and a beautiful person, or great 
powers of mind ; he choose the beauty of peison and 
country. Nye-soa then asked the youngest brother, the 
white man, the same question. He choose mental 
powers ; that's the reason why the black man is so 
handsome, and the white man know so much. But the 
first sight of us, thinking we must be fearful lepers, is, 
probably, very disgusting to them. "When the " Stevens 1 ' 

# Dr. Fletcher, a colored physician, formerly the only one hero. 

11 



242 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

came out, she had one or two sick with the measles on 
board ; it is a very bad kind, followed, in every case, by 
severe dysentery. It has spread rapidly all over the 
country, and has been very fatal. "We have several down 
with it in the school ; we shall be greatly blessed if we 
lose none of our number. At home, before leaving, I 
often heard people speak of the condition of the heathen, 
that they might be saved without the Gospel, " they 
being a law to themselves." I used to be of that opinion. 
But, oh ! it only needs you to be amongst them to see 
how utterly neglected is that law of conscience which 
they do possess. It does not do for us to limit the bound- 
lessness of infinite love, or the world-wide efficacy of the 
Redeemer's blood ; but it would seem to us that, could 
they reach heaven, in their present condition, it would 
be no heaven to them ; the purity and holiness required 
there would be misery to them ; and, we know, as they 
die, so they remain. Oh ! the millions that are going 
down to eternal death. May our earnest daily prayer be, 
" Come, Lord Jesus, take these kingdoms for thine own." 

Marriage. — I must tell you something with regard to 
the marriage customs here. I have told you that their 
customs are somewhat patriarchal, the headman of 
each family having perfect right not only over the pro- 
perty, but even over the persons of each member of 
the family. This, probably, is a great drawback to 
their national energy and prosperity, as no man can 
really call the things he possesses his own. For instance, 
if a member of the family dies by the sassa ordeal, the 
body is thrown upon the beach, and not allowed to be 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 243 

removed till a bullock is provided by the headman of 
the family, as a sacrifice to the Kwi. If the departed 
himself does not possess one, it must be obtained oi 
some other member of the family. In cases of accusa- 
tion of theft, or other crimes, though the sassa is not 
given, the bullock, for sacrifice, must be. Should there 
be no bullocks in the family, the next available property 
is a young girl, the nearest relative to the criminal that 
remains unsold. She is offered, then, to any man that 
will pay the price of a wife. This always includes a 
bullock, with some few other articles, amounting in 
value to about twenty-five dollars. She then becomes 
the property of the purchaser, and he may either take 
her immediately to live with, and assist his mother, or 
one of his other wives ; or he may leave her with her 
mother till she is of a marriageable age, which, with 
them, is about fifteen. He then builds a new hut for 
her, beside those of his other wives, and takes her home, 
and she takes her position with the rest. Where girls 
are not sold like this, to settle a " palaver," they are 
generally purchased by some man, who may take a 
fancy to them. In this case, the man is expected often 
to make little dashes to the mother of the child. Thus 
it is, you seldom see a girl over eight years that is not 
already sold. There is no affection. The female part of 
the population are only so much property. A man's 
wealth is estimated by the number of his wives ; and, 
strange to say, the women themselves feel it to be a dis- 
grace, and do not like to acknowledge themselves to be 
the only one. . On a man's death, his wives, with his 
other property, beeome the possessions of his nearest male 



244 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

relations. The greatest disgrace that can happen to a 
woman is to remain unmarried. When the Bishop first 
commenced the girls' school here, he took what children 
were permitted to come to him. But he soon found that 
this would never do ; they all had husbands, who, at any 
time they chose, could come and take them away. 
Thus, when the poor girls had become partially civilized, 
and partially Christianized, they would be dragged back 
into deep degradation, rendering their education not only 
useless, but injurious to themselves. He, therefore, de- 
termined to pay the purchase-money for each child that 
should hereafter be brought into the school ; and then 
neither the parents, nor any one else, would have the 
slightest control over her in future. But should she be a 
bad child, and run away from the school, and remain 
away, the parents are obliged to refund her purchase- 
money, as they have to do in the case of a runaway 
wife. "When the girl enters the school, however, the 
parents always beg that she may be married, to avoid 
the disgrace attached to a single woman. Our children 
are never influenced ; they are allowed to make their own 
selection ; and it seldom happens that a girl remains 
disengaged over fourteen. Ours being the only girls' 
school, and there being several boys' schools — and the 
civilized and Christianized boys wishing to obtain such 
wives — our girls are generally in great demand. I have 
just received a letter from Mr. Ogden, in which he gives 
me the account of the price paid for a Benga wife. He 
is at Corisco, much farther to the south than we are. 
There, a man will have fifty or sixty wives. Among the 
Grreboes, they do not often have more than six or seven. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 245 

Now, to tell you what is the price of a Benga girl : 20 
small bars of iron, 1 gun, 1 brass kettle, 1 coat, 1 shirt, 
1 chair, 1 hat, 2 caps, 1 cutlass, 4 knives, 1 umbrella, 
1 chest, 4 wash-basins, 6 plates, 4 empty bottles, 1 keg 
of powder, 1 iron pot, 1 brass pan, 10 brass rods, 10 
pieces of cloth, 5 mugs, 1 small looking-glass, 1 jug, 
4 pins, 5 needles, 5 fish -hooks, 2 razors, 2 pairs of 
scissors, 8 bunches of small beads, 2 pairs of ear-rings, 
1 pocket-handkerchief, 3 padlocks and keys, 4 pipes, 10 
heads of tobacco, 1 piece of cloth for her mother, 1 silk 
handkerchief, 1 small bell, 1 tumbler. This is the usual 
price. You see a Benga wife is much more expensive 
than a (xrebo, and there they understand better the 
uses of articles of civilization. 

Amusements. — "We have twenty on the sick-list, but 
they are doing pretty well. The doctor came down to- 
day. He has amputated the hand of a poor woman ; 
she has suffered dreadfully with it. He is likely to have 
plenty of practice. 

I will give you a sample of our evening's amusements. 
By the time tea and prayers are over it is generally ten 
minutes past eight. Then Mrs. Payne and myself reach 
out our sewing — the only time we really give to it. The 
Bishop sits in his library, off the parlor — every one hav- 
ing to pass through it to go to him. He sits there mak- 
ing up accounts, writing orders, and attending to wants, 
these last not few or far between. Generally Mrs. 
Payne and myself attend to any that may come re- 
quiring our assistance, as they may happen to apply to 
one or the other of us. But I never noticed how many 



246 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

such applications there are, till last night. Mrs. Payne 
had a number of business letters to write to the Cape 
that must go off this morning. You can form no idea 
of the amount of such work that has to be done here ; 
providing supplies, &c, for all the other stations round 
us. So as Mrs. Payne had so much of that work to do, 
I agreed to attend to every petitioner that should come. 
Well, I was scarcely seated when in came a native man, 
with a large piece of flesh completely torn out of his 
leg. That had to be dressed and attended to. Of oourse, 
after every such thing the hands require ablution. After 
he was gone Valentine came in for some medicine for 
the baby. Then comes one of the girls who has lost 
her mat that she sleeps on. This has to be inquired 
into, and orders given for another to be provided. Next 
follows one of the school-boys who has cut his toe badly 
with a rock — that must be dressed. Then three of the 
girls come in, one after the other, for a dose of camphor. 
I find a few drops of this an excellent medicine here. 
Then four of the little boys begging for pins, and a man 
from town begging for a little molasses for his sick wife. 
Then Harry Bacon to say his spelling lesson. And lastly 
Mrs. Bristow, our cook. Mrs. Payne always hears her 
a reading lesson in the Bible, and explains it to her, in 
the evening ; but to-night, on account of Mrs. Payne's 
letters, I do it — but I have been obliged to keep her wait- 
ing a long while. So passes the evening. Where is our 
sewing ? Usually we do not notice these interruptions so 
much when both are on hand to do that which may be 
required. How do you like our evening's amusement ? 
This is a fair sample. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 24? 

Sickness. — So many down with the measles — the 
school-room looks quite desolate. Many who have friends 
in town have gone home to them for the time. They 
always keep fire in their huts, and the children like the 
heat when they are sick. It relieves us of a great 
charge — so many being ill. But though they are dying 
all round us, none belonging to the mission have yet 
been taken. I have been confined to my room again for 
two or three days. I find I do not regain my strength 
after these attacks as I did at first. But I can have 
my classes come to my room, even when very sick. 

Mr. Hoffman and Miss Ball have just arrived at the 
Cape in a little coasting vessel. They are much bene- 
fitted by their voyage. 

The Earthquake. — Our summer has commenced in 
earnest — it is very warm. The doctor is down again to 
look after his patients. (I forgot to say, the doctor's 
home is at the Asylum.) He says Mr. and Mrs. Hoff- 
man are coming to-morrow to make us a visit. 

We had an amusing little incident last night. I had 
been taking opiurp, and it made my head very stupid. 
In the middle of the night I was partially aroused by 
the house shaking violently. The second time I mut- 
tered to myself earthquake ; so the same, the third and 
fourth time. With the fifth time it was very severe — 
it aroused me a little more, and a picture I had seen of 
the earthquake at Lisbon came up distinctly before me, 
and I recollect saying to myself, u Oh, it will not hurt 
us so much, as our house is all of wood," and then I 
knew no more of what happened till this morning. What 



t 
248 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

do you suppose our earthquake was ? The Bishop and 
Mrs. Payne had been very much frightened, and got up 
to see what was the matter. It was the poor old horse — 
he had been tied to one of the wooden pillars, on which 
the house is supported. There is no foundation under 
the ground — the house is built on pillars raised above 
the ground, as most all are. Well, the poor horse had 
fallen, and the rope was twisted round him ; and there 
he lay, pulling and kicking vigorously at the post. You 
may imagine our house is not the most splendid man- 
sion in the world, that a one-horse power can have the 
effect of an earthquake upon it — for I was not the only 
one in whose brain visions of such a disaster had their 
place. But there is nothing like opium to make one 
philosophical. The Bishop went down to extricate the 
animal from his perilous position, for he had nearly hung 
himself. The poor beast lay panting and groaning as 
if in the last agonies. As he could not make the horse 
get up, the Bishop thought he was very ill, and he came 
up directly to get some medicine for him. He mixed a 
dose of castor-oil and something else — I forget what — 
and soap-suds, and he found it to be a most effectual ar- 
gument — the moment the bottle, with its contents, was 
inside the animal's mouth, he was up in a trice. I ex- 
pect, if we could get him to give us his opinion on the 
subject, he would be a decided homoeopathist. Allopathy 
does not suit his taste. But he prefers keeping his opin- 
ions to himself. I hope, however, the next time he un- 
dertakes to perform feats of gymnastics and circus tricks, 
such as climbing a pillar or drinking out of a bottle, 
he will have a waking, not a slumbering audience. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 249 

The Comet. — I have "been very ill again for several 
days. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman have been here, but I was 
only able to leave my room once to see them. While 
they were away Mr. Hoffman and Miss Ball visited the 
German Lutheran Mission, down the coast. They were 
delighted — but they have written the account of this 
themselves. 

I have been sitting up to-day, and this evening the 
Bishop helped me out to take a look at the comet. It is 
perfectly splendid — fully realizes all my preconceived 
ideas of it. I have never seen one half so beautiful. I do 
not know whether this latitude would have the effect of 
making it appear more plainly. But it is so very bril- 
liant, and its tail so long and bright. 

The people are in great trouble about the comet — they 
say it always portends dire misfortune. 

How very grateful in sickness are the little luxuries 
sent us by loving hands ! The appetite fails, and it needs 
to be stimulated to enable us to gain our strength. Our 
friends may be well assured their kindnesses are always 
received with grateful hearts. 

It is very strange where these people have obtained 
some of their notions. I was reading to-day of God's 
anger with David for numbering the people — and it 
is very singu ar, but the Greboes will not number their 
tribe, or town, or family — they think some harm will 
happen to them if they do so. They always, likewise, 
have a great aversion to having children twins ; for they 
say the elder will always have to serve the younger. 

The measles seems like a pestilence ; there is scarcely 
a house, either in the native towns, or in the colony, but 

11* 



350 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

where there is one sick. "We have just heard that Mr. 
Geoffry Thompson, the brother of Mr. T. Thompson, at 
the Asylum, died last night of the measles. He was a 
very fine young man, a teacher in Mr. Hoffman's Sun- 
day School. He has left a young wife and three child- 
ren. 

"We hear that the English mail steamers are going to 
stop at the Cape every month. This, it is hoped, will 
give an impetus to trade, and materially benefit the 
place. 

Generosity. — While Mr. Hoffman was at Monrovia, 
they had a missionary meeting of all denominations, 
Hitherto there has been a great deal of sectarianism 
among the colonists, and it has been the constant effort 
of the missionaries to unite them. Mr. Williams' efforts, 
for this effect, have been indefatigable, and, at length, he 
has got all the children of the different schools, to unite 
to endeavor to support a teacher among one of the heath- 
en tribes, about fifty miles back of Monrovia. Mr. Hoff- 
man pledged that his Sunday-school should send them 
ten dollars. So, as soon as he came home, he told his 
children what he had promised for them, and that they 
must go to work now, to make up the money. So the 
children at the Asylum, and the boys at the Harris Sta- 
tion have gone to work vigorously, to cultivate vegeta- 
bles, that they may sell them, to put the money in the 
missionary box. I went into the school-room and began 
telling the children about what all the others were 
doing for the spread of God's word, and, suddenly look- 
ing up, 1 perceived that a number of the girls were in 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 251 

tears. Upon inquiring the cause, one of them said, 
" The boys and others can work and get money to give 
to our brothers and sisters, who know not Grod, but what 
can we do ? "We have no gardens, we no work and 
have money." " Well, girls," I said, " I know you have 
very little time, and I have very little, but we will see 
what we can do. Those of you that wish, come to my 
room on Saturday mornings, and I will find you the ma- 
terials, and teach you, and you shall make some little 
specimens of fancy work. We will send them up to 
Mr. Marshall's store, at the Cape, and whatever he sells 
them for, you can have to put into the missionary box." 
This was gladly acceded to, and our work began. 
And now, while we are upon the subject, I will give you 
one of the results. Lucie worked very diligently, and 
finished a very pretty bead bag, to hang against the 
wall. It was done very nicely. It was sent up to Mr. 
Marshall's store for sale, but he admired it so much 
that he sent it on to Monrovia, to the State Fair (an in- 
stitution similar to ours), which was being held there at 
that time. After exhibition it was to be sold for the 
benefit of the mission. Well, a certificate was given, 
and the third prize granted to Lucie. The prize was a 
little gold dollar. After its reception I took the certifi- 
cate and the dollar into the school-house, explaining its 
meaning and why it was awarded to her, and telling 
Lucie to keep the certificate always, as it would be 
pleasant for her to see in future. They had not seen a 
gold dollar before, though they had silver pieces. I told 
them its value, and it was passed round for all to examine. 
Upon returning to my room, after school, and opening 



252 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

the missionary box, I found there the little gold dollar. 
I was very much surprised, and thought certainly that 
Lucie could not know the value of it, as it was more 
than she had ever had in her life, and I thought it would 
not he right for me to allow her to give it without being 
aware of the amount of the sacrifice she was making. 
I, therefore, called her into my room, and said, " Lucie, 
my child, do you know the value of this piece of money ? 
I was very glad to see you had given it for God's cause, 
but before I consent to take it you must know its full 
value." She knew the value of a shilling, that is, how 
much she could purchase with it, so I laid eight shillings 
before her, and told her, her dollar was worth those ; 
was she willing to give it all ? She nodded her head. 
I then told her that it would buy her just such a dress as 
the one that had been recently sent her, with which she 
was so much pleased ; or it would buy her so many 
bright head-handkerchiefs (of which they are very fond), 
or so many aprons. To all this she shook her head. At 
length I saw poor Lucie was full ; she was almost sob- 
bing, and she said, " Missionaries love God, and love 
poor men much ; they leaves their country, friends, all 
their fine things, to come to teach us so we go to, 
heaven ; and then you think we no love God or our own 
people, so we work little, little bit for them." This 
was a great speech for Lucie, she is so reserved. " Yes, 
Lucie, I am glad God has put it in your heart to love 
your people, and gladly will I take your gift; I only 
wanted to be sure that it was entirely with a willing 
heart it was done." Christians, let each one of us pause 
and ask ourselves, in this Christian land, have any of 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 253 

us ever known such an instance of self-denial for God's 
cause ? Have not many, who have given their twenty, 
fifty, or a hundred dollars, reason to blush when they 
think of this one dollar ? 

I was telling the children a little anecdote I recently 
heard, that I think it would do us all good to remember. 
"A congregation of free blacks, in one of the "West Indies, 
hearing that their brethren, in another island, were ut- 
terly destitute of the Gospel, determined to try and do 
something for them. They, therefore, called a meeting 
of all the Church members, and three resolutions were 
passed. 

" i First. — -That every one should give something. 

"' Second. — That every one should give according to 
his means. 

" ' Third. — That all should give willingly and cheer- 
fully.' 

" A secretary was appointed, to sit at a table to write 
down the names and amounts given. After several had 
been to him, one very poor man came up and laid down 
a shilling, twenty-five cents our money. The secretary 
received his money and marked down his name, with a 
' T'ank you, broder.' The next man that came up 
was known to be one of the wealthiest men among them. 
Seeing what his neighbor had given, he, likewise, laid 
down a shilling. The secretary took it up and returned 
it to him, saying : ' Broder, dat be 'cording to de furst 
resoblution, which say, ebery body he gib something, 
but it is not 'cording to de second resoblution, which 
say, ebery body gib 'cording to his means ; I can't take 
it, broder — take your shilling.' The man went back to his 



254 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

seat with his shilling, but, after a little time, pride over- 
coming covetousness, he again went up to the secretary's 
table, and this time laid down a pound, about five dol- 
lars. The secretary looked up in his face, and again 
handed him back his money, saying : ' Broder, dat be 
'cording to de furst and second resoblutions, but not 
'cording to the tird, him say all must be given willingly 
and cheerfully.' The man buttoned up his pockets and 
marched back, very indignantly, to his seat, but by and 
by a better spirit took possession of him, and again he 
approached the secretary, and this time with a smiling, 
cheerful countenance, laid down his pound. This time 
the secretary said : ' I take him now, broder, cas' dat be 
'cording to de furst, and de second, and de tird resoblu- 
tions.' " 

This is the doctrine I want to teach the children, to 
give, however small the mite, with a willing heart. 
And would that all Christians would learn and practice 
" the three resolutions." There is an English vessel 
anchored off here this evening. 

Strange Vessel. — This morning the head-man from 
town came in. He appears to be very suspicious of the 
vessel that is anchored out here. He says, that though 
she carries English colors, he is sure she is no English 
vessel, but he is persuaded she is a slave vessel from all 
he saw on board. They want Kroomen, but he has for- 
bidden any men, from his town, to ship on board of her. 
He could not well give his reasons, but he feels persuaded 
she is a slaver. 

This afternoon Mrs. Payne and myself were in the 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 255 

parlor, when one of the strangest specimens of a white 
man presented himself at the door. The Bishop was away 
preaching at one of the towns. The man, therefore, gave 
us ta understand that he was the captain, but not 
expecting to see ladies had not dressed himself. He 
was without shoes, stockings, or coat. He, however, 
seated himself, and commenced a conversation, with an 
air of perfect nonchalance. We spoke of his vessel, and said 
we had heard that it was not an English vessel, though 
sailing under English colors. " Oh ! no, ma'am ; she 
was built in Nova Scotia, but we sailed from New- York. 
We can hire Nova Scotia vessels cheaper than we can 
get them in New- York." u Yes, but you sail under 
English colors." " If there is one Englishman on board 
we can hoist English colors. I am the only English- 
man." " Pardon me, but I know the English tongue; 
I do not think you are one." " Well, you see, ma'am, 
I am not ; I was born in New- York, and so were my 
parents, but I have been to Liverpool several times, and 
so I swore that I was an Englishman." " How could 
you do such a thing ? " " Oh ! bless your heart, ma'am, 
don't you know a Yankee will do anything for money ?" 
We expressed our sorrow at hearing such language. 
He then went on abusing the English for daring to have 
the right of search, and said that one vessel belonging 
to his owners, a firm in New- York, had just been seized 
and carried to Sierra Leone, and that another had just 
got into a muss with a British cruiser. He stated, too, 
that he was going directly down the coast where eight 
thousand dollars worth of goods, we much suspected 
human chattels, was waiting for him. Of course, all 



256 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

this tended to excite our suspicions still more. I sup- 
pose he thought we were so far out of the world that 
we could not harm him. After awhile he went away 
to trade with the natives, giving them rum and 
tobacco in exchange for palm-oil. The effects of his 
visit were soon visible. One of the finest young men in 
town was so drunk he was like a crazy man. 

In the evening, when the Bishop was at home, he came 
again. We had found out then that he was only one 
of the hands on board ; the captain being a Portuguese, 
and all the rest either Spanish or Portuguese. The 
Bishop asked him : " How it was that he had imposed 
upon the ladies, passing himself off for the captain ?" 
He answered, with the coolest impudence : " Bless your 
heart, sir, why I pass off for anything or everything." 
Such are the men that come forth from a Christian 
country to these poor heathens. Oh ! say not that the 
missionary ought not to come forth ; rather ought he 
" not to count his life dear unto himself." 

If this vessel is such as we suspect, we can only pray 
that God will frustrate the machinations of the wicked. 
When the vessel set sail she hoisted the American flag. 
A little farther down the coast she had the Spanish flag 
up. And again still later she was seen under Portuguese 
colors. There surely must be something w r rong to need 
this. 

Music— Our music to-night. How much I should 
have liked some of our good people, at home, to have 
heard it. Those, I mean, who are so fond of Sunday 
opera music ; the hearing one or two person take God's 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 257 

name in vain in his own house ; making his house a 
house of merchandise, (not to show off their cattle for 
price, hut their vocal powers). Many, I believe, that 
are true Christians, have not thought what a crying sin 
it is. But how I wished that they could have been 
with us at our service to-night. I do think that they 
would have felt that they would rather praise God 
themselves than hire others to do it for them. Our 
evening congregation numbers about one hundred and 
fifty. Mr. Jones, our native deacon, understands the 
science of music, and he takes pains to teach it to all in 
the schools. To-night, when the Bishop, gave out the 
thirty-ninth psalm, Mr. Jones struck up a most exultant 
jubilant tune, and I do not think there was a single 
voice mute. They sang with the voice and the under- 
standing also ; apparently " singing, and making mel- 
ody, in their hearts, unto the Lord." Only think 
what supreme absurdity it would have been for us to 
have had one or two high-flying singers stand up there 
to-night and sing not with, but for those poor ransomed 
heathens, these words : 

" Oh ! 'twas a joyful Bound to hear 
Our tribes devoutly say, 
Up, Israel, to the temple haste, 
And keep your festal day." 

Our music was truly sublime. It carried the heart 
with it. I do believe that church music, as we have it 
at the present day, is a device of the arch enemy, and a 
very effectual one, too, of abstracting directly the good 
seed that may have just been sown. Perhaps I speak 
strongly, but I feel strongly on this subject. I know it 



258 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

is doing so much harm. I fear if our Saviour were to 
come to many of our temples now, many would be 
scourged thence, to whom he would say, " Make not 
my Father's house a house of merchandise." Show not 
off' your wares here- — " carry these things hence." If 
ever we reach Heaven, I do not think that we shall wish 
to hand our golden harps to others that they, for us, may 
make melody before God, or that we shall wish others 
to sing for us the new song, " To Him who hath bought 
us with his own blood, and made us kings and priests 
unto God," &c. Our services to-night would have 
touched the heart of any one coming from our own more 
favored land. Here, surrounded on every side by the 
depths of heathen darkness, is a little band come forth 
from that darkness into marvellous light. At night none 
of the town's people come, as our services are all in En- 
glish. Only those attend attached to the Station, num- 
bering about one hundred and fifty. As each one comes 
in, he or she, kneels, not sits, reverently for a few 
minutes in private prayer. In the united prayers and 
all the responses, not a voice appears silent ; all seem, ffc 
least outwardly, engaged in solemn worship. I suppose 
this struck me more to-night than usual, as the Bishop's 
text was, " Worship God in the beauty of holiness." 
And certainly if the spirit as well as the letter of our 
services is carried out, it is, indeed, the " beauty of holi- 
ness." God grant that we may all learn to praise him 
on earth, so that when we shall cease to praise him here 
we may help to swell the full hallelujah chorus above. 
Mr. T. Thompson has just lost a sister by the measles, 
and is himself very ill with it. He feels sorely God's 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 259 

afflicting dispensation. A brother and a sister both 
taken in one week. Many of our children are still very 
ill, but we have yet lost none. 

Cares. — There is so much to be done that we have no 
time for selfishness. "We must forget our aches and pains 
and weariness, if we would be of any use. The Bishop 
and Mrs. Payne are hoping to return home in two or 
three months. They both need it much. Since school 
to-day I have been busy cutting out shirts. Hitherto, Mrs. 
Payne has attended to all in the sewing department, and 
I suppose one of our new sisters, who is coming here, 
will superintend that, but Mrs. Payne will probably not 
be here to afford her the benefit of her experience. I 
must learn all about it, so as to give her the necessary 
information. Or it may be, that I shall have to take 
charge of it myself. At all events, I must know all about 
it. We have two very sick children, one quite a little one. 
We much fear that we shall lose her. Mrs. Grille t is very 
good, kind, and attentive to them. Many and multifa- 
rious are our duties, but how much pleasure, too, in feel- 
ing that we may, perhaps, be able to remove a little of 
he load of misery, both temporal and spiritual, from 
those for whom Christ died. 

The Grreboes have a very pretty expression I heard to- 
day. When any one is angry, using strong or hasty 
words, they say to them, " Wora, woro ni na," " Throw 
water on your heart." This language is very figur- 
ative. 

Superstition. — One of the principal men in town is 
very ill with measles. Of course, they say he is witched. 



260 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Now, to be effectual, it is supposed that a good many of 
the witch's incantations must be performed in the neigh- 
borhood of the hut where the person whom they wish to 
injure is living. Therefore, it is very dangerous for any 
one to be found out of doors at night alone. This also is 
the reason why they try to hide their sick. Last night 
a party of the Sedibo (soldiers) went out in the night 
time to see if they could find the witch. As they came 
near the sick man's house, they declared that they saw 
a man, and that, as they approached, he instantly chang- 
ed himself into a cow before any of them could recog- 
nize him. They believe that witches have this power; 
as they also believe in the transmigration of souls. 
Now, they will go to the devil-doctor to find out who this 
man is 

The Army. — Infant baptism this morning in church. 
How the Bishop's heart must glow with gratitude to 
God ! It was a child of one of the villagers. Father, 
mother, and sponsors all natives. May God's work 
here u go forward." Pray for us that the Spirit may be 
poured out upon us without measure ; upon pastors, 
and teachers, and people ; that there may be a shaking 
among the dry bones. "We know not how much of the 
present success may be attributed to the prayers of 
Christians at home. You cannot think how trifling and 
vain appear all former occupations in comparison to this. 
I wonder at God's great goodness to me, unworthy as I 
am, that I am permitted to labor in this the most 
noble, the most glorious cause, the world ever saw, that 
of raising human beings from the lowest depths of 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 261 

misery, degradation, and vice into the " glorious liberty 
of the sons of (rod." 

I often look at our kind, gentle, loving Bishop, and 
think what martial hero of the highest renown is to 
compare with him. For more than twenty years he has 
been a leader in the advance guard of the army of the 
" King of kings." Fighting manfully against " princi- 
palities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in high 
places." Marching steadily onward, and invading the 
enemy in the heart of his own dominions ; never being 
daunted by the number or skill of his adversaries Often 
standing almost alone in the battle field, and this not for 
his own fame, glory, or emolument, but, if possible, that 
he may wrest from the enemy some precious gems that 
may shine forever in his Saviour's crown ; that he may 
gain some rich spoils, not to adorn himself withal, but 
that he may lay them as trophies at the Saviour's 
feet. May many more such soldiers of the Cross soon 
join him! Each hard-fought battle is not recorded on 
earth, but the " Captain of our salvation" knoweth them 
that are his, and the Saviour's precious promise is, " To 
him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my 
throne, even as I also overcame and am sat down with 
my Father in his throne. 

Letters. — News from home ; when they wrote, the 
death of my father was hourly looked for. A few lines 
from himself — the last he wil lever write on earth. Re- 
posing alone on the love of Christ and the atoning 
efficacy of the Redeemer's blood, death must be gain. 
I feel assured he is safe at home. Many, many kind 
tokens again from loving friends. Thanks, thanks to 



262 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

all — nowhere can gifts be more thankfully welcomed 
and appreciated. 

Fish. — The Bishop was telling us to-night of a very 
pretty little custom here. The first fish that are caught 
in the fishing season, they bring all home and make 
soup. Then all the children in town are called and it 
is all given to them — no one else tasting it. They think 
that being generous, especially to children, will bring 
them good luck. The same thing is done with the first 
fish caught in a new canoe. The feast is for those who 
cannot repay then*. 

Faith. — The Bishop has started with one or two work- 
men to-day up the river to Nitie Lu. He wants the 
workmen to cut timber up there for building a house at 
the station. He says he may extend his journeyings 
back a little farther to the Mountains of the Moon. 
May God preserve him and bring him back in peace and 
safety to us ! Dr. D'Lyon was to go with him, but he 
sent word this morning that he had fever and could not 
possibly go. It is up among the Webo tribe, where 
those men were so cruelly murdered and eaten a short; 
time ago, that he is going. 

As I was bidding the Bishop good-bye this morning, I 
asked " if he was going alone ?" and I supposed that my 
manner expressed some little fear and sadness, for he 
turned round quickly and said, " Sister Harriet, I am 
going in my Father's country, and about my Father's 
work." Oh, what a different tone those few words gave 
to the whole tenor of my feelings. Would that I had 
the faith that he and his dear wife have. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 263 

I am getting very, very weak — the fever hangs on me 
so long. The man I spoke of that was so ill with 
measles, is still very low. To-day they have accused 
two of his wives of witching him, and made them take 
the sassa, but both have recovered from its effects. 

The Sabbath Law. — A very pleasant thing has oc- 
curred to-day . The villagers have, for a long time, been 
trying to persuade the towns people to pass a law pro- 
hibiting work on the Sabbath. The Bishop, though, as 
you may suppose, longing earnestly for it, has forborne 
to urge the matter too strenuously, fearing if made to 
please him, much against their will, it would only be 
broken continually, and $iat would be worse than hav- 
ing no such law. To-day the Christian villagers and 
towns people have had a meeting, and the law has been 
passed almost unanimously by the Sedibo — these are the 
soldiers, or chief part of the citizens. The law runs 
thus : " No person is to work on Sunday. If they go 
fishing their fish is to be taken from them ; if they go 
to the bush, their wood, or whatever else they may bring 
home, is to be taken from them and carried to the mis- 
sion house for the use of the children there." This is their 
own law. They had a long " palaver," however, before 
it could be settled. Kadi, the son of the former king, 
was spokesman for the villagers. I will give you a 
specimen of the discussion, as we afterwards heard it : 

Townsmen. — " Well, but if we do not catch fish on 
Sunday, or go bush, what will we do to cat ?" 

Kadi. — " The Bishop does not give us food, all us 



264 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

boys in village — we no work Sunday, yet we always 
have food. God give us food when we mind his day." 

Toivnsmen. — " That be true ; you boys in the village 
catch fish plenty ; you shoot deer plenty ; we no find 
them ; 'spose we want bit meat, we come you." 

Kadi. — " Yes, God mind us. Now this sickness 
(measles) come, he go all over country. You make 
much greegrees. Keep him off all towns ; but plenty 
people and children die all towns. All children have it 
here and at other mission s^ations ; big people have it ; 
many sick, plenty, we afraid they die, but God say 
no ! he take care of them." 

And by God's providence it is so — not one attached 
to the mission stations have died, while there has not 
been a town without some deaths from it. Such were 
some of Kadi's reasonings. May we not trust that God's 
spirit is among us ? 

Letters. — I mentioned, some time ago, that the chil- 
dren of our mission and those of Mr. Williams' Sunday 
School, corresponded. I will give you the exact copy of 
a letter, written by one of our boys at this time to 
Monrovia. 

Dear Brethren and Sisters in the Lord : 

Having an opportunity I drop you a few lines to in- 
form you of my health which is quite well at present, 
and I hope that these few lines may find you all in 
joying the best of health. Dear friends I have never 
seen your face but I love you in my heart. And I have 
seen your teacher and I was much pleased to see your 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 265 

teacher visited us. I been with him from (he meant to) 
neiborhood countrys which are about some miles each 
from cavalla where we made our settlement. I was 
interpreter, and Bishop Payne was with us. I de- 
lighted much in his preaching he is good preacher of 
Christ's crucifixion. My dear friends I will make ap- 
pendage of few words before I make the conclusion of 
my letter. I will tell you something about the country 
people how they acted on Sunday, and how they make 
agreement of keeping the sabbath. Now they make 
agreement to keep the Sunday and they are trying now 
to keep the Lord's holy day. I must ask you did they 
are able to keep the sabbath for themself without some 
one helping them. No Sir they are not able. What we 
must do before they are able to keep the Sabbath. We 
must pray to Grod to sent his Holy Spirit on them that 
they may know that there is a Grod in earth and who 
made heaven and earth and all things. I am very glad 
to say that you must pray for us, and we will pray for 
you. I complete to talk you about cavalla, and I am 
very glad to tell you something about Grraway people 
which is some miles from cavalla. The towns are on the 
beach I and Mr. John Wilson going there every Sunday. 
They are not like cavalla people. They did'nt care fore 
Sunday we must pray for these people that Grod may 
sent his Holy Spirit among them that they may know 
the God of Jacob. Let us fcht under the banner of 
Christ and let us put our whole trust in christ because 
he is our leader. Bishop Payne and his wife are well 
but Miss Brittan is not well. I have much to say but 
time permitted me not. Please excuse my last writing. 
Yes, friend, E. J. P. Messenger. 



266 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

This is one of our older boys — he is an excellent in- 
terpreter. I have so many letters before me that my only 
difficulty is in selecting from among them. I will give 
one other now — at another time, perhaps, I may give 
you more. 

Hoffman Station, Cape P almas. 
Rev. and Dear Sir : 

It affords me more gratitude to present you an in- 
formation of our Sunday School opened in at St. James' 
Church in Hoffman Station. This school contains about 
fifty boys and twenty-five girls under the care of Mrs. 
Harris. The former is conducted by Rev. C. C. Hoff- 
man, Mr. Harris, and the eldest boys at the Station 
Myself have a class in this school contains of about 
twenty-five boys from the towns, as attendance of the 
school. We who are the eldest boys have formed our- 
selves a classes call William A. Muglenburg's missionary 
Society. This class is teaching by S. B. D'Lyon, M. D., 
after recite our class before Dr. hears our own lesson. 
The demeanours and behaviours of these pupils are more 
encouragement to us and we hope something will come 
out of this undertaking. Though we are small in num- 
ber, yet we hope that G-od will do whatever he pleases. 
For there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or 
by few, and again have not I commanded thee ? Be 
strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be 
dismayed: For the Lord thy G-od is with thee witherso- 
ever thou goest. Therefore the followers and the la- 
bourers of Christ cannot be afraid to do good, and to de- 
liver the souls from darkness to the glorious light of Re- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 267 

deemer. My God raise up more labourers to carry this 
light among the dark places, to disperse darkness and 
dispell the devil from this land by the name of our high 
Priest Jesus Christ. My God grant that we shall take 
a possession at last. My kind regards to you and to 
children I remain yours unworthy servant 

S. W. Seton. 
Rev. E. T. Williams 

Thesa letters surely show " what spirit they are of." 

Harriett. — I want to tell you something about Har- 
riett Yaughan, one of my girls. She is about the same 
age as Lucie, and in their studies they are just on a par. 
She is very black, and not as pleasant looking as many of 
the others. Yet I have a strong partiality for Harriett. She 
is a member of the church, but, poor girl, she suffers 
much from her own temper. She is very impulsive 
and very passionate, and so often sins in that way. And 
then she xeally suffers for it, for she is so sorry and bit- 
terly repents before God her sinfulness. 

There is a great deal of clanship here, and almost al- 
ways an enmity existing between the different tribes, 
which constantly vents itself in spiteful words, and 
petty, malicious acts. Harriett belongs to a different 
tribe to the most of the girls, and they are continually 
teasing her. Harriett seldom shows any temper to her 
teachers. With her is exemplified the truth of those 
words of Scripture, " A soft answer turneth away wrath." 
Whatever storm she may be in — and she is a perfect 
tornado — if I go to her, lay my hand on her arm, and 



268 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

quietly utter her name, she is still in a moment. "Were 
I to speak loud and cross to her, it would only make her 
more angry still. I have never known her to disobey 
me in the least. She is exceedingly affectionate ; and, 
though so passionate, she would not really do an unkind 
thing, or hurt any one, if she could help it. She is en- 
gaged to one of our Christian young men, named Seton, 
from Hoffman Station. You see our girls are happier in 
that respect, than any of the others in this country. 
They are not sold for wives to any man who wants them ; 
but they can choose their own husbands. These hus- 
bands are Christians, who have no other wives. So you 
see it is very important that our girls should be well 
taught the truth of God's word, so that they may assist 
their husbands. Now, I want to tell you something 
that happened in school. On going into the school-room, 
after the bell had rung, all the girls were in their 
places, but Harriett was standing up vociferating and 
gesticulating wildly and fiercely, whilst many of the 
others were laughing, sneering] y or mockingly, at her. 
Of course, on my appearance the tumult subsided ; but 
during the opening exercises of the school, she would 
constantly turn round from one to another of the girls, 
muttering between her teeth, and with the expression of 
the fiercest rage. I took no notice till after the first 
class had finished their Bible lesson, then, when the 
others retired, I bade Harriett remain, as I wished to 
speak with her, and the following conversation took 
place : " Harriett, my child, what is the matter ?" " No- 
thing, ma'am." " Oh, yes ! there is something the mat- 
ter-— are you sick ?" " No, ma'am." " But I think 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 269 

you are." Harriett, looking up with surprise, " Oh, no, 
ma'am, indeed I am not !" " But I know you are, my 
child ; you have the worst kind of sickness, a disease in 
your heart — sin, you know, is the disease of the soul — 
have you not that to-day, Harriett ?" She hung her 
head, but made no reply. Our conversation was all in 
a low voice, so no one else heard us. " Can you not tell 
me what is the matter ?" No reply. " My child, I know 
not who was in fault in the commencement of this trou- 
ble ; I only know that whoever else has done wrong, 
Harriett has. She professes to be a follower of the meek 
and lowly Jesus. Has she acted like such ? J cannot 
look into your heart, and see what is the matter ; but 
there is One that is looking at it this moment. Go to 
Him, Harriett, " go and tell Jesus." He, you know, is the 
great physician. If you are wounded by the unkindness 
of others, tell Him : He can comfort you, and can give 
you the heart to bless, and not to curse, your enemies. 
If your sickness is entirely the sin of your own heart, 
you know that His blood is the fountain open for sins 
and uncleanness. Go to Him at once. Ask Him to 
wash you in that fountain ; whatever it is, whatever 
troubles, you just tell Him at once ; the very telling 
Him will relieve you. You need not move from where 
you stand, only lift your heart to Him. He is looking 
with a loving, pitying eye upon you now. (A pause for a 
moment.) And now, Harriett, I tell you what I want you 
to do for me. Mrs. (xillet is not well, to-day ; she can- 
not come in school. I want you to take her place for 
me, and teach the little ones." She looked up, with a 
start of astonishment. On account of her hasty temper, 



270 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

I had been afraid ever to trust her before to do this. I 
put into her hand Mrs. Grillet's rod, which she occa- 
sionally used, saying: " Take this, Harriett ; you must 
use it, if you are obliged to, but remember those chil- 
dren are Jesus Christ's little ones. You are teaching 
them for Him." She took Mrs. Grillet's place, and I 
watched her closely, without her perceiving it. She was 
as gentle, and as loving, and as kind, as it was possible 
to be. After school was over, I had occasion to go up 
into the girls' dormitory. On passing Harriett's door, I 
saw it was closed to. I gently pushed it open, as we al- 
ways want there to be a free current of air. Harriett 
was kneeling at her chest, her hands clasped, her face 
upturned, the tears streaming down, and her whole soul 
evidently absorbed in earnest prayer. She did not see 
me, and I quickly closed the door and retired. Does not 
God give us many joys, many encouragements in our 
labor ? 

Penalty. — I have adopted a mode of punishment, 
which answers very well. Whipping I cannot bear ; yet 
those of us, who would be wiser than Solomon, too often 
find out our mistake — for it is as true now as it was in 
his day, that " foolishness is bound up in the heart of a 
child," and some means must be taken to get rid of it. 
So, when any of our little ones have quarrelled, and 
come to blows, whether it be in or out of school, I tie 
the one hand of each of the contending parties together, 
and they are obliged to go about a longer or a shorter 
time thus linked together, according to the nature of the 
offence. I find this a far more effectual punishment 
than whipping. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 271 

Justice. — A short time ago, one Sunday morning, the 
Bishop witnessed quite a ludicrous scene. It seems that, 
for a week or so, the boys had constantly missed little 
articles, more particularly food, from their school-house, 
but could not detect the thief. This morning they were 
all in the girls' school-house, at prayers, when one of the 
elder boys, not feeling very well, retired to his own 
school-house. There he caught a native boy, from town, 
in the very act of running off with a quantity of their 
rice and plantains, that were to serve for that day's din- 
ner. He had them all wrapped up in a cloth. The 
schoolboy seized him, and held him fast till the rest of 
the boys returned, after prayers, when they inflicted a 
most singular punishment upon him. The Bishop, after 
breakfast, was walking in the garden, plucking some 
flowers, when, on passing the boys' school-house, he 
heard them singing a tune he did not remember to have 
heard before. He entered, and went up into the dormi- 
tory, where a singular sight presented itself. A native 
boy, about fourteen or fifteen, was hanging by his feet 
and hands, tied to a beam in the ceiling, while placed 
on his stomach was a large cloth, tied up, filled with the 
things he had stolen — rice, plantains, &c. The boys 
were all sitting round, singing the most grave and sol- 
emn hymns, with faces that looked as if they were at a 
funeral. Upon learning what was the matter, and that 
the culprit had been tied up in that painful position for 
over two hours, the Bishop thought the demands of jus- 
tice were fully satisfied ; he, therefore}, bid the boys un- 
tie him, and let him go. At the same time he did not 
reprimand them for executing this specimen of Lynch 



272 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

law, as the boy was known to be a most inveterate thief, 
and they had often suffered from his depredations, and it 
was but right that he should pay the penalty of his guilt. 
They had adopted this mode of procedure in preference 
to whipping him, which they would have done at any 
other time ; but they knew that on Sunday they dare 
not make any noise on the mission premises. The pun- 
ishment has been very effectual ; he has never dared to 
show his face in these parts since. 

Legends. — I will mention here one or two legends that 
I have recently heard. I wish that I understood the lan- 
guage better, so that I could hear more of them. One 
of the negro legends is this : About two hundred miles 
up the Cavalla river, there is a dense forest ; the trees 
and underbrush grow very thickly everywhere about for 
miles, except in one spot, where there is a space of about 
half an acre in circumference, with a sort of pathway 
leading to the river, which is perfectly bare and destitute 
of either trees or herbage, and nothing will ever grow 
there. It presents a most singular appearance among 
the surrounding luxuriant verdure. Well, the legend 
about this place is, that, in the forests, on this river, 
there used to reside an immense dragon, that would rush 
out and devour every canoe, with its contents, that at- 
tempted to pass down the river ; canoe and all would be 
swallowed at one gulp. For many years the people 
had tried every means to destroy him, but without ef- 
fect. At length they hit upon the expedient of placing 
a live goat, which, by its bleating, might attract the 
dragon's attention, in a canoe full of red hot stones, and 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 273 

send it floating down the river. As soon as the dragon 
heard the bleating of the goat, he rushed out, and swal- 
lowed the goat, canoe, and all. But though he could di- 
gest both canoe and goat, the red hot stones were more 
than he bargained for. With most fearful roars, he 
crawled up the bank of the river, into the forest, and at 
length laid down and died. But the ground wherever 
he crawled was so injured by the intense heat, and the 
poisonous saliva and melting grease that flowed from the 
animal, that nothing has ever grown there since. Such is 
one of their stories. Another is this : In the vicinity of 
the Congo and Loango rivers, the Grorilla monkey 
grows to an immense size. The natives are more afraid 
of it than of any other animal. It sometimes grows to 
the height of seven feet, and is very strong and ferocious. 
On the Loango river they show the site of a large town, 
which has been entirely destroyed, and left in utter ruin. 
Thev give this account of its destruction : A man and 
his wife went out one day, from this town, to work in 
their field. The woman had a little infant, which she 
laid down to sleep in one corner of the field. Presently 
the child began to cry ; the mother looked up, to go to it, 
when she saw a large female Grorilla rush out from the 
wood, seize the child, and begin to pet and fondle it. 
The woman screamed to her husband, who immediately 
took up his gun and fired at the monkey. The poor ani- 
mal dropped dead, and the child was saved, uninjured. 
But the deed must have been witnessed, and summary 
vengeance was executed. That night, when the inhab- 
itants were all asleep in their huts, they were alarmed 
by most unearthly yells and screeches. A whole army 

2* 



274 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



of Gorillas had beset the town. They were all armed 
with immense clubs. They pulled down every house, 
and killed more than half the inhabitants. The rest es- 
caped to the different towns around, and they never 
have had the courage to return and attempt to rebuild 
the town. They all believe that monkeys can talk 
as well as men ; but we do not understand their lan- 
guage. 

The Mermaid. — One of our missionaries says that he 
has seen an animal up the river, which he thinks was 
probably the original of the ancient mermaid. It is an 
animal of the seal species, covered with fur, and though 
not resembling a woman, yet the head and breast are very- 
similar to those of a monkey. On the head the hair is a 
little longer than elsewhere. It is a warm-blooded ani- 
mal, amphibious, and comes on the shore to suckle its 
young. Its arms and hands are merely elongated fins, ' 
but with these it holds its young. It often utters a cry, 
like a woman in trouble. It is very difficult to get a 
correct view of it, as it is very shy, and dives out of 
sight at the approach of any one. 

The Witch. — You recollect my mentioning a man 
in town very ill with measles, and that they had given 
two of his wives sassa-wood. He still continues very 
ill. He is a relation of one of the villagers, Robinson ; 
and it is a great compliment they pay to Christianity, 
that they will always trust a relation, when they are ill, 
if he is a consistent Christian, when they are afraid of 
all the others. So, Kraiv still continuing ill, they 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 275 

brought him up to Robinson's house last Saturday. They 
all say he is witched, and every one is on the look-out 
for the witch or witches. The power of imagination is 
very strong. If a sick person thinks himself to be 
witched, and the witch is supposed to be caught, the 
sick man will very frequently get well. Since Krawhas 
been there, Robinson's fence has been broken down ev- 
ery night, although each day he has mended it afresh. 
This has confirmed their idea, that some species of 
witchcraft is being practised against him. Last night 
we heard a gun fire close beside us. Upon inquiring 
the cause, we found that Williams, one of Robinson's 
neighbors, had gone out into his garden, and he saw a 
man pulling down Robinson's fence, and then dancing 
and cutting up all sorts of antics (part of their supposed 
incantations). Whether they have any such power as 
they claim, we cannot decide ; but we do know that Sa- 
tan reigns triumphant. They think they possess the 
power. The desire is in the heart ; murder is in the 
thought and wish. Williams, when he saw this man, 
crept back, unperceived, to his house, seized his gun, 
came out again quickly, and shot at him. His gun mis- 
sing aim, the witch-man, of course, fled. But the sound 
of the gun had aroused all in the neighborhood, and vil- 
lagers and schoolboys were soon in pursuit. They could 
not overtake him, however. Immediately a town meet- 
ing was summoned, at which all adults, male and fe- 
male, are bound to appear (you see they have some 
laws), that the Sedibo may see that all persons belong- 
ing to their town are present. One man and one woman 
were absent — a most suspicious thing, none daring to be 



276 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

out at night, for fear of being accused. A meeting was 
summoned again very early in the morning. The same 
man was absent, but the woman appeared. The wife 
of the missing man was questioned, and it was found 
that he had gone out a short time before the gun was 
fired, and had not been seen since. The woman who 
was absent last evening was then summoned, and she 
stated that the man (she is not his wife) came to her hut 
(which is at the end of the town) last evening, and he 
asked her to come to him in a little time, outside the 
town, and bring him his cloth, which he left in her care. 
It is one of the necessary parts of their witchery that 
their cloths shall be left in the house, and their incanta- 
tions must be performed by them in a state of perfect 
nudity. When the woman heard the gun fire, she ran 
to meet him with his cloth ; he snatched it from her, and 
ran away. Such is her story. They will keep her se- 
curely, as an accomplice, till the man is caught, when 
both will suffer the gidu ordeal. Now this is evidently 
a case of malice ; there is no doubt of the wish and de- 
sire to kill, whether there is the power or not. This 
morning, when I went into the school-room, I found my 
little girl Josephine crying bitterly (a very unusual 
thing ; you rarely see one of the children cry). I asked 
her the reason, but could obtain no reply ; she only con- 
tinued weeping. After the opening exercises, she came 
to me, and said : " Please let me go to town a few min- 
utes." " Why, Josephine, my child, you know it is 
against the rules ; and for you to ask it, I am surprised. 
But what is it for ?" There was a fresh burst of tears. 
" Oh ! please, please let me go." I immediately went 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 277 

to Mrs. Gillet, to see if she could tell me the reason of 
Josephine's request. She told me that " the witch-man 
was Josephine's father, and she was in such anxiety about 
him, she wanted to hear if he had been caught." Of 
course, I gave instant permission. She returned in about 
half an hour. He had not been found. Josephine has 
no mother, and her father she is very fond of. He is a 
fine, intelligent man, and at one time the Bishop sup- 
posed him to be almost a Christian ; but, alas ! alas ! for 
the hardness of the human heart. After school was over, 
I was sitting alone in my room ; I heard a gentle tap at 
the door, and Josephine came in. " May I stay here a 
little while ?" " Yes." She took a little bench and 
placed it at my feet, with a book in her hand ; but I 
soon saw she was not reading ; the tears were falling 
fast upon its pages. I had been reading ; I continued to 
hold my book in my hand, thinking what I should say 
to comfort her. You cannot think how we learn to love 
— how our hearts are drawn out towards — these " little 
ones" of Christ's flock, who are gathered in from "the 
highways and hedges." I laid my hand on her heal. 
" Josephine, my child, I, too, have lately lost a father." 
She looked up with streaming eyes. " Oh, yes ! but he 
die believing God's Word ; he die praying to Jesus ; 
God take his soul, and, no matter how bad he been, he 
Saviour wash him in His blood — take him heaven. But 
my father, he know God's things, but he no mind them. 
He know them in his head, but he no mind them in his 
heart ; he no do them. He take sassa ; he die ; he no go 
to heaven." Then, after a little pause, she begged me 
to pray with her, that her father might not die by the 



278 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

sassa-wood, but that he might be spared a while longer, 
that he might hear God's things more, and have time to 
repent. Poor child ! she left me feeling a little more 
comforted. 

Josephine's father has escaped to another town. When 
once there, he is as in a city of refuge. He cannot 
be taken thence ; but if found outside it, he will be 
caught immediately, even though it may be years after 
the supposed offence.^ Most always, however, rather 
than endure such an imputation, they will probably 
take the poison — in presence of a few witnesses — and then 
they may return to the town. There is another punish- 
ment here for lesser crimes. They cause the culprit to 
dip his or her hand in a pot of boiling palm-oil. You 
will see quite a large number of the people with one 
hand disfigured by this ; for after it gets well, it leaves 
large white scars. The women are generally pretty well 
treated, the men being afraid of them, as they believe 
that women are more powerful witches than men. Oc- 
casionally, at night, however, you will hear fearful 
shrieks and the sound of blows ; it is a man beating his 
wife ; but this is rare. To-day one of the girls brought 
me a very large handsome beetle. It was alive. She 
had found it in the woods, and had stuck it in her hair, 
to bring it home to me, its claws sticking fast in her 
wool. 

Church. — To-day (Sunday) we saw the effects of the 
law that has been passed ; the church was full to over- 

* He afterward returned and took the sassa himself, but escaped a 
fatal result. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 279 

flowing. It was a very orderly, attentive congregation. 
In the afternoon there were over four hundred little 
town children in Sunday-school. Our children had to 
turn teachers. 

When we come out of church, in the mornings, I al- 
ways go into the girls' school-house, and distribute to 
them their Sunday-school lesson hooks, and books to read, 
and often stop a few minutes and talk to them. To- 
day I was speaking to them of the delight of seeing such 
a full church, and what pleasu^3 it must have given to 
those among them who are Christians, to see their 
friends coming to hear about (rod's things. While I 
was speaking to them, one of the girls who stood beside 
me whispered: " May we sing?' 1 " Oh, yes," I said. 
" What shall we sing ?" " Praise Gad, from whom all 
blessings flow." And, think you, was not that one lit- 
tle verse of praise and thanksgiving, which sounded as 
though it came from overflowing hearts, issuing forth 
from sometime heathen lips, as welcome incense to the 
ear of the Almighty, as the splendid harmony that peals 
forth from the fine-toned organ and well-trained choirs of 
our great cities ? I think so. Kraw is a great deal bet- 
ter. Certainly, imagination has had a great deal to do 
in his case. 

Sickness. — I have had constant fever for weeks ; a sort 
of remittent, no chills but burning fever and headache. 
I have not the slightest appetite, and I am growing daily 
more weak. Yet I do not give up. I still keep about 
my work. Mrs. Payne fears I shall become utterly 
prostrated, and is telling me if I do not soon get better 



280 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



T must take a short voyage on the coast. I hope not ; I 
cannot endure the thought of leaving my work for a day. 
"We are beginning to think about the examination again. 

To-day Laura brought me her Bible and told me she 
had selected the chapter she wished to learn, It was 
Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones. Upon questioning 
her, to see whether she understood it, she said that it 
seemed to her as if her people are the dry bones, and this 
Sunday law is the prophet telling them to stand up, and 
now they only need the Spirit to blow on them that they 
may live. I was rather surprised at this in Laura; al- 
though she is a member of the church, and, I think, 
tries sincerely to do right, yet she is very thoughtless, 
and loves laughter and frolic far more than her book. 
But when she applies she can do very nicely. She is 
very dark, really black, but with a bright, happy expres- 
sion ; always cheerful and smiling. Such is Laura 
Gertrude Benjamin. I give these little notices of the 
different girls, as, perhaps, they may be interesting to 
those (if such should see them) who take an individual 
interest in them ; our children being named and sup- 
ported by special individuals or societies. 

The doctor is down again. AH our children are well 
now, but many of the people around are very ill. Mrs. 
Payne sent for him on my account, but I hope I shall 
not need his care long. It is so pleasant in our suffer- 
ings to feel that all are meted out by a Father's hand, 
and none are sent but what are absolutely necessary. 

"When Satan tempts my tortured mind, 

And trials thicken fast, 
I love to think upon that night, 

On earth my Saviour's last. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 281 

Oh ! what a scene of gloom was that 

Which burst upon his soul ; 
Oh ! what a tide of sorrows then, 

Did o'er his bosom roll. 

In that dread cup of wrath he drank, 

Was mingled every woe ; 
And 'twas his Father's hand that struck 

The most afflicting blow. 

But owning still the hand divine 

Which had infused the cup, 
He humbly bowed his head and said 

" Shall I not drink it up ?" 

'Twas love divine inspired his heart, 

And made him -well content ; 
Nor death, nor hell could shake that love, 

Or cause it to relent. 

Oh ! may that love inspire me too, 

'Tis all I ask below ; 
Let it with purer fervor still 

Daily to Jesus glow. 

Then painful as may be my lot, 

My happiness shall be 
To drink my cup, to take my cross, 

" My Lord, and follow thee." 



282 INCIDENTS AND SCENE'S OF 



<&I]Hpiu $nnxtt£nt\. 



MONROVIA. 



Weeks have passed since I have written in my jour- 
nal, and again I have to render great thanks to my 
Heavenly Father for restoring me to a certain measure 
of health and strength. Mrs. Payne's threat of sending 
me for a voyage was fulfilled rather quicker than either 
she or I anticipated. After the slow fever of which I 
was complaining has lasted for some time, the patient will 
suddenly run completely down. I was really very ill for 
weeks, butw r ould not give up, though using every remedy, 
as I expected when I came here, to labor on in weariness, 
pain, and weakness. But without my knowledge Mrs. 
Payne had sent for the Doctor. I was still up when he 
came, hut in a few hours was taken much worse, and he 
and Mrs. Payne thought that nothing but entire rest and 
utter cessation from care and labor would do me any good, 
and also, that it was necessary that, for some time,. I should 
be under the doctor's constant care. So they determin- 
ed that I should go up to the Asylum for a time. The 
doctor sent for bearers, hammock, &c, and waited 
over a day that he might go with me to take care of me. 
I was really very ill. For a week after reaching the 
Cape, I was very low — just a low, constant fever that 
they could not break. I was perfectly helpless, both the 
doctors attending* me. At length it was decided that 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA 283 

I must go on a short voyage, it was the only thing for 
me. I must go on the very first vessel that came in, 
wherever she was going. Providentially, as it seemed, a 
little vessel came in that night ; she was going in two 
days to Monrovia. 

It was instantly determined that I must go in her> 
particularly as Dr. McGrill, of Monrovia, is considered one 
of the best physicians in Liberia. Mrs. Carrol, my 
former nurse, and who has been nursing me now, was 
to go with me to take care of me. I begged and im- 
plored at first not to be sent away, but at length I felt 
that it was my duty to use every measure for my res- 
toration ; that I was utterly useless at present with 
no prospect of gaining. The doctors also told me that 
in no case would they let me attempt to resume my 
duties till after the holidays, which will commence in 
about three weeks. So, at length, I agreed to go. They 
sent, in great haste, to Mrs. Payne for some clothes, and 
the next day we were on board. All vessels being 
obliged to anchor some distance from the shore, and not 
being well enough to sit up in the boat, I was carried 
in my hammock into the boat, and in that lifted on 
board and carried to my berth. The doctor and Miss 
Ball saw me there and then left me. 

So now fancy me, the only white person on board this 
little vessel, captain and sailors all colored. Mr. Ash ton, 
the teacher of one of our stations, a colored gentleman, 
came up also with us for the benefit of his health. My 
poor nurse was so dreadfully sea-sick that she was per- 
fectly helpless. But there was a bright, sharp little native 
boy on board, who, though he only understood a few 



284 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

words of English, waited upon me very well. I was 
carried up and down and laid upon the deck, and soon 
began to feel the reviving effects of the sea air. God is 
very good to us ; the people are so kind. On the third 
day out my fever began to break. I was too ill to be 
the least sea-sick. When we arrived here I was still 
very weak. We came directly to the Rev. Mr. Gibson's 
house ; he is now settled quite comfortably here. They 
received us very kindly for two or three days after our 
arrival. I could not sit up, but the doctor gave me 
hopes of being out in a few days. Actee, one of the 
girls from the Asylum came with us, thinking the change 
might benefit her. She is suffering from a disease not 
unfrequent here, called the sleepy disease. We much 
fear for poor Actee. I was recently very forcibly struck 
with the beauty of that passage, " He shall sit as a puri- 
fier and refiner of silver." I was reading that the ancient 
alchemist, when he wished to obtain a metal of perfect 
purity, would place it in his crucible over an intensely hot 
fire to purge away the dross, and according to the 
amount of dross, or worthless matter, and the purity 'he 
required in the metal, so it must be subjected again and 
again to different degrees of heat, of shorter and longer 
duration ; he, the refiner, sitting and constantly watch- 
ing it, bending over and looking into it, till the instant 
when he could see his own image clearly reflected 
therein. Then it would be directly removed from the 
purifying heats, as needing them no more. And is it 
not thus that Jesus, the Great Refiner, does with his 
people ? He says : " I will purge away all thy dross 
and take away all thy tin." While we are here on 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 285 

earth he finds it necessary to place us often in the fur- 
nace of affliction, but he himself regulates the exact 
proportion of the heat, and he bends constantly over us 
watching to see that we more and more nearly reflect his 
image. May all his professed followers grow more and 
more into his likeness ! 

Visitors. — Mrs. Benson, the wife of the President, and 
some of the other ladies have been to see me. I do not 
know how long I shall be detained here, the arrival of 
vessels is so uncertain. My present business is to seek to 
regain my health. I may, perhaps, have to stay till the 
Stevens arrives ; she is expected in three or four weeks* 
She brings a fresh reinforcement for our mission. 

Sunday-School Celebration. — About a week after 
my arrival at Monrovia, the Sunday-schools had a grand 
gala-day. I wrote a full account of it to the Sunday- 
school I love ; I will, therefore, just insert the letter. 

Monrovia, December 8, 1858. 
My dear Children : 

I will tell you something very pleasant — something 
that has made my heart glad — and I wish much that I 
could impart some of my own glad feelings to many of 
the warm hearts and true friends of Africa, who live in 
America. I can but very poorly express what I wish, 
but still I will try and tell you something about the 
pleasant scene I have witnessed. I arrived in Monrovia 
in time to be present at the Sunday-school celebration, 



286 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

which after this, I hope, will be held as an anniversary. 
Children, I have been at many a Sunday-school anni- 
versary at home, and I have enjoyed it as much as any 
child of you all — for I think there is no more pleasant 
sight on Grod's beautiful earth than children's happy, 
smiling faces — but I never felt at one of our anniversa- 
ries as I did at this. It was not calm happiness only, 
but a deep, holy joy, which every Christian who looked 
upon that scene must have experienced. The feeling 
that the time was fast hastening on when the whole 
earth shall be the Lord's, and when 

" The King who reigns on Zion's hill, 
Shall all the world command." 

The school belonging to the Methodist church had 
held anniversaries before, but this year all the Sunday- 
schools were to unite together to form one band ; and, as 
there was no church large enough to hold them all, they 
were to meet in the government square, a large square 
just opposite the President's house. It was a bright, 
lovely day ; the sun shining gloriously. It had, at first, 
been appointed for a previous day, but that being wet, 
it was deferred till Monday. The children had been 
very much disappointed ; but when I witnessed the 
bright sun on Monday, and knew how much everything 
had been refreshed by the clouds and showers we had 
received, I could not but think how often the " Sun of 
righteousness" appears more glorious and beautiful to 
the Christian, when he has just passed through the cloud 
or the storm ; and I could not but pray that the dark, 
thick cloud, which had so long enveloped this country, 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 237 

might soon be dispersed by the rising of that " sun" 
whose beams are just beginning to gild its horizon. But 
I must go on with my story. Near the centie of the 
square are several large, noble trees, that form a delight- 
ful shade ; in the centre of these, a little open space was 
left for planting the banners ; and, around that, a number 
of mats were laid, in circles, for the children to sit on — 
outside these, again, seats were placed for visitors, with 
at one end a raised platform for the speakers. When the 
church bell rung, the children all marched from their dif- 
ferent schools to the square, and were ranged in the 
circles according to their numbers. The Presbyterian, 
being the smallest, had the inner circle, with a banner 
bearing the words, " He shall gather them in His arms." 
The Episcopal came next in size ; they, therefore, took 
the next circle. The motto on their banner, " One Lord, 
one faith, one baptism ; one Grod and Father of all" 
The Baptist came next ; their motto, " Suffer little chil- 
dren to come unto me." The Methodist took the largest 
circle of Christian people; their motto, " Feed my 
lambs." In the very centre of the circle was planted a 
large banner, with the words, " The Sunday-school 
Army." Can you imagine what sweet, pleasant ideas 
this suggested ? There were a number of different regi- 
ments, each having its own colors and its own officers ; 
each one having its own appointed post in the field, there 
to fight manfully ; but each forming a part, and a most 
essential one, of the " great army;" all fighting under 
the one great banner, and being marshalled and led forth 
by the one " Great Captain of our Salvation." Was it 
not a glorious " review day ?" Here wae a company of 



288 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



over four hundred children, with bright, happy, intelli- 
gent faces, all dressed in their best, looking so joyous ; 
the children of Christian parents, who, from infancy 
(most of them), had been taught to know, to fear, and 
to love their God ; to read His Word and sing His 
praises ; and as they took their seats beneath the shady 
trees, you could not but feel that it was a beautiful pic- 
ture, and that the eye of angels might look with delight 
on such a scene, and say, " Of such is the kingdom of 
heaven." But stop ! What's this ? What makes your 
heart to beat so violently, your temples throb, and your 
whole frame to be convulsed for an instant with deep 
emotion ? There is a buzz, a stir, among the children. 
Hush! hush! What is it they say ? " The Congoes 
are earning ! the Congoes are coming!" Immediately a 
long file of men, women and children, headed by eight 
or ten Liberian ladies, enter the square : though now for 
some time under Christian care and treatment, their 
hollow eyes, protruding bones, and emaciated, cadaverous 
appearance, are heart-sickening. Is there aught so vile as 
man given up to the lust of gain ? Look at these poor 
victims of the love of gold. Well may we pray to be 
kept from covetousness. I thought I had seen specimens 
of human suffering and emaciation before, but I pray my 
eyes may never look upon a sight like this again, and if 
such is their appearance now, when for weeks every- 
thing that can be, has been done for their relief, what 
must it have been when in the midst of their sufferings ? 
The men and boys were all dressed in check shirts and 
pantaloons, with straw hats ; the women and girls in 
straw bonnets and dresses of every kind, description and 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 289 

style, from fringed and flounced bareges to loose gowns, 
second-hand clothing that has been sent out to them by 
government — of course, there is not the slightest ap- 
pearance of a fit among them. Their appearance was 
very grotesque, but the consciousness of what they were, 
with the deep pity that filled every breast, instantly sup- 
pressed the mirth that their appearance might other- 
wise have excited. They had also each been furnished 
with a very unnecessary article, in a pair of shoes apiece. 
These, also, had been sent out to them. There is an 
old and very ridiculous proverb " Of furnishing a side- 
pocket to a toad," and, really, you could not help think- 
ing of it when looking at them. Those who did wear 
their shoes could hardly walk in them, but the most of 
them were wiser, carrying their shoes, as an ornament, 
in their hands. And who are these Congoes ? Ah, dear 
children, I dare say you all can tell. You must all 
have heard of that company of poor creatures that were 
torn from their homes and huddled together on the deck 
of the " Putnam" slave-ship — carried across the Atlantic, 
away from friends, and country, and home, to be sold 
into life-long slavery. 

Sickness, disease and death, were busy among them. 
Still the man-stealer felt that he had a valuable cargo. 
Think of it, children, calling human beings a cargo ! 
Yes, he had, indeed, a valuable cargo. A cargo of 
immortal souls bound for eternity, each one of which 
was worth more than all the ivorld. But it was not in 
that light the man-stealer valued them — no ! he only 
looked upon them as so many working machines. 

Pray for these wicked men, children ! they forget 

13 



290 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

what Grod says in the twenty-first chapter of Exodus and 
the sixteenth verse, " He that stealeth a man and selleth 
him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be 
put to death." Pray earnestly, fervently, for them ; if 
ever men needed the prayers of Christians, they do, that 
Grod may forgive them; for oh! their sins are of the 
blackest dye. But Christ's blood can wash away even 
their sins. Well, the Putnam, you know, was seized by 
one of our men-of-war, and the poor Congoes, those who 
still lived — many had died — were released and placed in 
safety at Savannah, till the Niagara was made ready to 
bring them here. This was a far more noble work than 
the Niagara's late glorious achievement. In that she laid 
a chain by which, it is hoped, man may communicate 
with man, and which will greatly increase the happiness of 
the world at large. By the last she has laid one line of 
the chain — the other end we hope to reach to heaven; — by 
which man may communicate with Grod, and by which 
the kingdom and dominion of the " Prince of Peace" 
may be greatly enlarged, for, properly instructed here, 
these poor creatures may, at some future time, go back 
to carry the " glad tidings 5 ' to their own dark land, and 
thus may Grod make " the wrath of man to praise Him." 
We have these poor Congoes here now. The American 
government will provide for them for one year, and many 
of the ladies here are devoting a portion of their time to 
instruct them. At the end of that year what is to be 
done with these poor Congoes? The people here, how- 
ever willing they might be, are too poor to maintain 
them. They are now among Christians. They must 
be tausrht Grod's Word. Cannot the different denomina- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 



291 



tions of our several missions take charge of these poor, 
helpless creatures, far away from home and friends ? It 
would be impossible to send them to their separate homes, 
as they have been stolen by the tribes on the coast to 
sell to the white man. Their homes are, many of them, 
far inland and hundreds of miles apart. Therefore, they 
must find a new home — and shall they not be taught of 
that home prepared for them in heaven ? The Presby- 
terian mission have authorized Mr. Williams to take 
eight of them into their mission school. Would that 
some at home would undertake to support eight or ten 
in our mission schools. Can it not be done ? It was our 
countrymen tore them from their homes, and, therefore, 
our country owes them a debt. Perhaps you will think 
how much I beg. Yes, 1 do ; but I want to tell you a 
fact that has startled me very much. I was reading a 
book, lately written by a clergyman in New-Jersey, 
called " Primitive Christianity Reviewed," and in that 
I saw it stated, u that the poor Hindoos in India, gave 
more each year for the support of the temple of Kaloo, 
one of their idols, than is given by all the Protestant 
churches of every denomination throughout the world, 
for the spread of the Gospel. Does it look as if we really 
believed in our religion and obeyed its commands as they 
do theirs ? What luxury do we deny ourselves to send 
the bread of life to those perishing with hunger ? If 
the rich man among us gives his fifty or a hundred dol- 
lars, he thinks he has done a great deal, forgetting that 
the first Christians gave their all, and he thinks it is 
very hard to be called upon soon again to give, forgetting 
that Grod's mercies are renewed to us each day, and that 
we should offer a daily oblation. 



292 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

But oh dear! thinking of these poor Congoes, I have 
forgotten all about the anniversary ; where was I ? Let 
me see, they were coming in with their teachers ; thos© 
ladies who go on Sundays, and what other spare time 
thev can find, to teach them. Thev carried a banner with 
the motto, " All flesh shall see the salvation of God." 
Then followed the Kroomen from the town close by the 
landing; their motto, " Ethiopia shall stretch forth her 
hands unto God." Lastly came a company of men, wo- 
men, and children from the Vey towns, across the river, 
where a little church is being built, their motto, " Come 
over and help us." This completed the different regi- 
ments, or companies of the army ; was it nof a noble one, 
numbering in all, eight hundred and ninety-eight ? On 
the platform were all the different clergymen, the Presi- 
dent, Ex-President, with other of the gentlemen of the 
colony. There were likewise present the captain, sur- 
geon, and lieutenant of an English steam-frigate, that 
had just anchored. Then commenced the exercises, 
opened by prayer, then an excellent address by the 
President, speaking in strong terms of the duty of Afri- 
can Christians to the heathen around them. To call at- 
tention to this duty, by the sight of these poor degraded 
ones, was the very object had in view in getting up this 
celebration, as it has been much neglected by the colo- 
nists. Then the children sung " I want to be an angel," 
then prayer by the Rev. Mr. Henning, the Presbyterian 
minister. Between the addresses the children sang 
" There is a happy land," " Who shall sing if not the 
children," and " The Sunday School Army." The Rev. 
Mr. Williams gave us an eloquent address, appealing 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 293 

most powerfully to the sympathies of all present in be- 
half of the poor Congoes. He then spoke to the children 
about the Station that they as a body, all schools com- 
bined, are going to establish among the heathen up the 
river, and he asked the children, " If they would not try 
and begin that mission on the first of January 1859 ? " 
One unanimous Yes! answered. It was a joyful and a 
joyous shout, and appeared to come from the heart, I 
know it went to mine. See, children, the missionary 
spirit is at work here. The " glad tidings" is being 
spread farther and farther ; may God speed it, till " all 
the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." 
The English captain, by much persuasion, was induced 
to say a few words to us ; they were indeed but few, 
but they showed how much the scene had touched his 
heart, and that he was truly a Christian man. Rev. Mr. 
Gibson followed with a very pretty little address, after 
which, cakes were distributed to all. Then the Baptist 
minister made a short speech to the Congoes, through an 
interpreter. He, the interpreter, was formerly a re-cap- 
tured slave, but he has been living here many years, and 
is now a Christian. After a short speech to the Kroo 
and the Veys, the army commenced to march ; it was all 
arranged so nicely, there was no confusion, all marched 
in one procession through the town, and at length, as 
each came to their own church, the divisions filed off and 
were 'dismissed. So ended the celebration, but not, I 
hope, its effects. It was gotten up with earnest prayer, 
that it might be the means of promoting union amongst 
the different denominations, and arousing them to a zeal- 
ous discharge of their duty to the heathen amongst them. 
We were glad that those officers of Her Majesty were 



294 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

with us, it was their first landing on African shores, and 
it could not fail to give them a pleasant impression, and 
show them what the Missionary of the cross is effecting. 
This union, and life, seems to be attributed under God, 
to the unwearied efforts, and never tiring labors of this 
servant of Christ ; his name is never mentioned but it 
calls forth loud expressions of love and praise. He and 
Mr. Wilson, have labored here for years, often fainting 
but not discouraged, though their work seemed fruitless, 
but now, God grant them an abundant harvest, and that 
they may see of the fruits of their labors. For a year 
Mr. Williams has been alone, all alone in his work — may 
God soon send him faithful fellow-laborers. Mr. Gibson 
has recently taken up his abode here, and they labor 
heart and hand amongst the poor heathen. Children, 
you. are all part of the i; Great Army ;" you must be ac- 
tive, warlike soldiers. You must fight manfully. God 
give you grace to overcome all your foes, prays your 
loving friend. 

I forgot to tell you one important little item, while 
the children were eating their cakes, a collection was ta- 
ken up towards defraying the expenses of the station 
to be established up the river. It amounted to seven- 
teen dollars 

Patience. — I have had some very pleasant conver- 
sation with Dr. McGill. He was formerly, as many 
others of the more respectable part of the community 
were, an ultra abolitionist, and almost hated the white 
man. Can you wonder ? He had not yet learned the 
blessed law of love, his Saviour's command to love his 
enemies. And not being: himself a Christian, he did not 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 295 

wish to have the white missionary to come to Liberia ; 
he thought they could do very well without them, and 
he rather opposed than aided them in their efforts for 
the public good. But his feelings have greatly changed. 
By their earnest, "patient continuance in well-doing," 
they have won not only his respect and esteem, but his 
love and gratitude. He feels that the young men that 
have been educated by the Presbyterian missionaries in 
the Alexander High School at Monrovia are the meij, 
and the only ones, on which their country can depend for 
statesmen and for men of intellect, in whatever capacity 
they may be needed. And all are waking up to the 
truth that " knowledge is power." He spoke in the 
highest terms of the labors of the Rev. D. A.Wilson (whom 
1 have just mentioned) before his wife r s health com- 
pelled him to leave, hoping they might soon return to 
them. And also his praises were freely bestowed upon 
the only white missionary now amongst them, the Rev. 
E. T. Williams, Presbyterian. He confessed how he 
had formerly misjudged them, had looked upon their 
every act with a jaundiced eye ; but their holy, blame- 
less lives, their unwearied patience, under ingratitude 
and unkindness, and their constant labors, had forced him 
to love them in spite of himself. God grant that " the 
love of Christ" may likewise soon " constrain him" to 
devote himself entirely to Him. He is a kind, generous 
man, and even when most opposed to the missionaries 
coming here, has personally been ever ready to aid 
and show kindness to them. But coming from such a 
source, is not this a high testimonial to Christian worth ? 
Mrs. Wilson's name is never mentioned here, but with 
the kindest expressions of love. Oh ! that all who bear 



296 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

the Christian name, would " live as becometh the 
Gospel." 

Speeches. — This day, the first of December, is the 
anniversary of a great battle, fought between the natives 
and the first colonists ; they celebrate it somewhat as 
we do the fourth of July. The people all meet in the 
Methodist church, it being the largest. We went over 
to hear the orations. I never heard better. Ex-President 
Roberts gave a most excellent one. In it, he presented 
a concise history of Liberia to the present time, from its 
first founding. And, truly, the names of its first foun- 
ders deserve to be remembered ; they were as much 
martyrs for the sacred cause of liberty, as any whose 
names fame has made known to the world. Aye ! and 
more so, for they were poor, ignorant, unlettered men. 
But they were men, and noble ones, too. It would be a 
good lesson for all who despise the colored race, if they 
could but visit Africa. They would learn to know 
themselves, and feel humbled before God, for their in- 
justice and cruelty. For we ought to feel it ; we, at 
the North, are not free of the charge. The intelligent, 
educated, colored man, feels the slight and contempt of 
the northerner, more than the slave does the stripes and 
chains of the South. We are apt to talk about their 
cruelty, but ah ! how few of us look at home ! In the 
evening, we went to what they call the Lyceum, or 
Young Men's Debating Society. Rev. Mr. Gibson and 
Mr. Bliden were to deliver addresses before them. The 
company assembled were ladies and gentlemen, if 
beautiful dress, elegant manners, and true courtesy and 
politeness, form ladies and gentlemen. And many were 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 297 

there white as mvself, and who could, without the 
slightest suspicion, have passed off as such. Indeed, 
had yon seen them anywhere else, you would never 
have dreamed that they were aught but white. The Pres- 
ident and Ex-President are both noble looking men. Ex- 
President Roberts is a white man, with very light hair, 
which curls tightly ail over his head ; this is the only 
trace of his origin. I took him for the captain of one 
of the vessels lying out in the harbor. The present 
President Benson is jet black, but he is truly a noble 
looking man. The addresses, this evening, were exceed- 
ingly good. Grod help and speed Liberia, and the Colo- 
nization Society, to wdiich they all appear so grateful. 

Uncle Simon. — Now I am going to introduce you to 
one of the finest old gentlemen, and one of the best Chris- 
tians, you ever knew in your life. His real name is Mr. 
Simon Harrison, but I always heard the Bishop and every 
one speak of hiui as Uncle Simon, and by that name he 
is generally known. Now just think of Mrs. Stowe's 
" Uncle Tom," much better educated, polished, and re- 
fined, but retaining all his simplicity, and you will begin 
to have a little idea of Uncle Simon. But I will begin 
at the beginning with his history, what little* I know of it. 
Uncle Simon w 7 as a slave in one of the Southwestern 
States, but when quite a young man he became pos- 
sessed of that true " liberty wherewith Christ makes his 
children free." He became a preacher among his people. 
His heart was so full of love that he was compelled to 

" Tell to all poor sinners round 
What a dear Saviour he had found." 

13* 



298 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 

At length Uncle Simon was sold — sold to an Indian. 
Still here he forgot not the commands of the Word of 
God, " Servants, be obedient to your masters, not with 
eye service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart 
as unto Grod." He was here in the neighborhood of a 
mission station, and in a little time Aunt Mcey, the 
cook there, became his wife. Though his present mas- 
ter was a poor Indian, he was a kind, good master, and 
at his death he left Uncle Simon to his daughter, stat- 
ing, as he had served him so faithfully, he felt sure he 
would be faithful to his child, but with the injunction 
to her that when she became of age she should give him 
his freedom. This was done. Uncle Simon then, with 
his wife, lived for a time at the mission station, among 
the Cherokee Indians, they having to provide and look 
after the meals of the children. At all the mission sta- 
tions it is necessary to have some responsible person, 
who, out of school hours, attends to the personal com- 
forts and wants of the children. After remaining some 
years at this station the missionaries advised him that it 
would be better for his children to be in Liberia — he has 
two young sons — so about four years ago they came out 
here. 

The Presbyterian mission has bought a piece of 
ground about twenty-five miles from Monrovia, up the 
St. Paul's river, quite on the top of a hill — a most lovely 
spot. A number of colonists have settled in this vicinity. 
Here they have put up a tiny little church, and a small 
house for Uncle Simon. This, it is hoped, will form the 
nucleus of a large mission station. Uncle Simon is the 
catechist or pastor of the church. That is, he performs 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 299 

all the offices of a minister, except administering the 
sacraments. He has never been ordained. Hitherto 
they have only had a day-school held in the church, of 
which a young man, a colonist, of the name of Mel- 
ville, is teacher. Now they are building a school-house 
(native style) ; and the Congoes Mr. Williams has taken 
are to form the commencement of the heathen school. 
Mr. Melville is to be the instructor, and Uncle Simon and 
Aunt Nicey are to take care of them. G-od grant that 
from this little mountain-house streams may issue forth 
that shall make glad the City of our God ! 

Well, Uncle Simon, hearing that I was here ill, came 
down the river, and before he saw me he went to the 
doctor and told him he thought it would do me good to 
be up at his house for a little time — that as Mr. Wil- 
liams had to be up there for a week or two to attend to 
the mission business, he would see I was taken care of, 
and they could make room for me, nurse and all. The 
doctor told him that nothing could be better for me — 
that the inland mountain air would be a far greater 
change than that on the coast, only he must take very 
good care of me. This the old gentleman promised to 
do, and then came to me — his face glowing with happi- 
ness and benevolence. I loved him the moment I saw 
bim. As I sat looking at, and talking to him, I could 
not but think if the holiness of character and the 
partial measure of the graces of the Spirit that is pos- 
sessed by Christians here, imparts such a loveliness and 
beauty to the countenance now, what will it be when 
we shall " see the King in his beauty," and when " we 
shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Oh ! for 



300 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

the transforming power of divine grace ! Afterward the 
doctor advised me by all means to accept his invitation, 
thinking it would do me much good, and should any ves- 
sel come, in the meantime, going to Cape Palmas, he 
would inform me. 

In speaking of Uncle Simon, the doctor said : "Oh! 
Uncle Simon's w r ord, at any time, is as good as a bond." 
Would that all Christians acted so, that all men might 
take knowledge of them, that they have been with Jesus. 
We shall go up to Uncle Simon's next week. 

Company. — Mr. and Mrs. Gibson and myself were in- 
vited to tea at Dr. McGill's this evening. We went a 
little after seven, and one after another the ladies and 
gentlemen began dropping in, till there were about 
twenty-five couples. Among these were the President, 
the ex-President, and their wives, with other dignitaries 
of the place. I had a very agreeable conversation with 
both the above named gentlemen. Mr. Roberts has been 
a great deal at London, at St. James' Court, and has 
been pronounced a fine statesman. The rooms in the 
doctor's house are very large — a very handsome saloon 
being on either side of the entrance hall. When tea 
was announced, each gentleman conducted his lady to 
her place ; and we sat down to an elegantly laid table. 
The company was of every shade of color, from white 
to jet black. 

Sunday. — Mr. Gibson preaches, at present, in the little 
school-house occupied by Miss Williams (our colonist 
teacher here). It is in a very dilapidated condition, but 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 301 

we are in hopes the Stevens will bring out the materials 
so that the new church can be proceeded with vigor- 
ously. The foundation is laid, and Mr. Gibson is very 
energetic — he will hasten matters as fast as practicable. 
May God grant that wherever our Church is planted, it 
may " be built on the foundations of the Apostles and 
Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner- 
stone." I am still very weak — little cessation from fever. 
I admire Mr. Gibson's character more and more each 
day. He is a devoted Christian. I hope he will be the 
means of much good. 

Uncle Simon came down the river after us to-day, but 
as the Legislature is sitting now, and the President is to 
deliver his message to-morrow, we wished to wait to 
hear it, so we have made every arrangement to go on 
Thursday. 

St. Paul's River. — The delivery of the President's 
message is again postponed. We wished much to hear 
it, but as every arrangement had been made for our going 
up the river to-day, we could not well defer it. It had 
been very wet in the night, so we hardly thought we 
should be able to go to-day, but about ten o'clock it 
ceased to rain, and as everything was prepared, we 
thought it best to proceed. You recollect travelling 
here is not like at home, where you can start off at a 
moment's notice. 

We had a delightful day. It did not rain but it was very 
cloudy — that serving only to render it the more pleasant. 
We had a very nice row-boat belonging to Dr. McGill, 
with an awning completely covering it. We had six oars- 



302 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

men, and our company consisted of Mr. Williams and his 
little colored boy, Dennis, a Miss Mallary, the colonist 
teacher of one of the Presbyterian Mission-schools, at a 
place called Clay Ashland, about twelve miles up the 
river, my nurse, and myself; these formed the passen- 
gers. They had very kindly arranged an extempore 
bed for me, with pillows, &c, so I could lie down in the 
boat. Mrs. Carrol, my nurse, takes good care of me, 
too ; packing and unpacking, and taking the sole charge 
of everything for me. I am in a fair way of being spoiled. 
How apt we are to forget the countless mercies, and 
ever to remember the few wants ! Would that we more 
often tried to " count up our mercies ;" then what ascrip- 
tions of gratitude and praise should we not constantly 
offer to the " Giver of good." The St. Paul's river is 
very beautiful. After leaving Monrovia, we pass through 
a mango swamp, which extends, on each side, for several 
miles. It is these mango swamps that create the malaria 
that is so deleterious to the health. A species of fly 
is also found among them whose bite is very poisonous. 
But in passing through them they are very pretty. The 
mango is, I suppose, a species of the banyan, whose 
branches falling to the earth take root and then spring 
up again, forming almost impenetrable groves, except 
for wild beasts. You can imagine snakes and alligators 
of every description hid in these coverts. After passing 
the mangoes the scenery becomes very varied. "Vegeta- 
tion is very luxuriant. Large trees of every kind grow- 
ing close together, their foliage of almost every hue, 
beautifully contrasted and intermingled. The cotton 
tree, which, in some respects, resembles the American 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 303 

elm ; its wide spreading branches high in the air. Then 
comes the bloody dragon, a plant that grows some twen- 
ty or more feet high, with a thick stalk, and leaves some 
five or six feet in length, all set thick with sharp prick- 
les, the stalk also being so covered. It bears a large 
fruit, not good, of the size of a pineapple, but it looks 
like an immense thistle head. It forms an impenetra- 
ble barrier both against man and beast, as in passing 
through it, where it grows thickly, anything would be 
torn to pieces. It grows, however, only near the water 
side. Then there is the rattan, with leaves resembling 
a large species of fern, which pushes its slender form up 
to fill any interstices between the other trees ; and fre- 
quently, towering above all the rest, you will see a lofty 
palm, its naked trunk pushing up or out wherever it can 
find room, surmounted by its beautiful crown. Besides 
these there are infinite variety of trees, full of all-colored 
flowers, the names of which I have not yet learned. "While 
pendant from each and every one of these are many 
impedes of wild vines ; these intermingling in graceful 
confusion with the other foliage, gives an air of marvel- 
lous beauty to the whole* 

Birds of splendid plumage are here and there discern- 
ed among the branches, adding, by their brilliancy, to 
the high coloring of the scene. In different places on 
the river, it is cleared away. You then see little cot- 
tages appearing, surrounded by their plantations of 
cocoa-nuts, bananas, plaintains, coffee, cassada, and 
sugar-cane. On one of the plantations they have a 
steam sugar-mill at work. We stopped to obtain some 
ol the expressed juice to drink ; it was very refreshing. 



304 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

About lour o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at a place 
in the river where there are many rapids, and, except in 
very high tide, no boat can ascend higher. In high tide 
they can go up as far as Uncle Simon's, but no farther — 
even canoes find it difficult to ascend much higher, 
though the river is over a mile wide and several hundred 
miles in length, yet it is so shallow. We stopped at a 
little landing belonging to a Mr. Washington, who has a 
very nice plantation on the river, and we sent a man on 
in a canoe to see if the tide was high enough that we 
could pass. 

While the man was gone, Mr. Washington came down 
to the boat, bringing us, as he said, a little lunch, con- 
sisting of some beautiful bread, sardines, and bananas. 
It was very kind of him. 

Uncle Simon had seen the boat coming up the river, 
from his house, which is on the top of a high hill, and 
he came down in a canoe to meet us. He said the 
water was high enough, that we could get up to the 
upper landing, where he had a hammock in readiness 
for me, as it is a mile to his house, up a very steep hill. 
He has a nice little house, but our rooms are only sep- 
arated in some places by mats. We are living in primi- 
tive style. But the old people are so good and kind. 
Uncle Simon says he would soon make me well and strong 
if I was living with him. We are now on the extreme 
edge of civilization, no house or civilized man between 
us and the great desert. Here a heathen school is to be 
established, which, it is hoped, will send forth its light 
in all directions. May those words soon be literally 
verified : " How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 305 

of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth salva- 
tion." It is the desire to draw the sons of the chiefs, 
of the principal tribes around, into the school, that so its 
influence may be extended. God prosper this under- 
taking. 

The mountain air is delightful and exhilarating. This 
must be a healthy spot. Uncle Simon is praying so 
earnestly that white missionaries may be sent to help 
him here, and he says he has faith to believe they will 
come. Oh ! that Grod will answer his prayer, and send 
many laborers into this field. The harvest is great, but 
alas ! how few are the laborers, Uncle Simon is so 
earnest, simple minded, and devoted. 

I made an acquaintance yesterday, whose intimacy, 
for the future, I should wish most respectfully to decline. 
It was the mango fly. I had been warned about it, 
and had been on the watch, but one of them eluded my 
vigilance. I was bit on the ancle. I had hardly noticed 
it at the time, but it is very painful now, being much 
swollen and inflamed. Aunt Nicey is a very kind- 
hearted old lady, and as to Uncle Sirnon I am quite in 
love with him. How true it is that the Grospel precept, 
" to do to others as we would have them do to us," 
makes the most polished gentlemen. We come to this 
country to work, and whether in one part or the other, 
the moment our health permits, we must work. " The 
field is the world." It is the vacation now, so a band of 
the little ones come to me from some of the houses 
around, each day for an hour or two, just to read and 
talk about the most important things in the world. How 
I love children ; how much they teach us ! 



306 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OP 

We had a beautiful Sunday. The little church is 
directly across the road. It was pretty well filled with 
colonists. Strange feelings were excited in worshipping 
in this little mountain church on the extreme edge of 
civilization. Oh ! that Zion may soon " lengthen her 
cords, and strengthen her stakes," and " cast forth her 
branches like Lebanon." A few of the natives from one 
of the towns in the neighborhood (those who are helping 
to build the school-house) came in after church, and Mr. 
Williams taught them for an hour or so by an interpreter. 
When the missionary comes forth here it is, indeed, like 
the sower going forth to sow — the seed is scattered far 
and wide — who knoweth the result ? 

Drivers. — Aunt Mcey called me out this morning to 
see a line of the drivers making their way along. She 
was fearing and yet almost hoping that they would take 
the house in their course, for though sometimes, for two 
or three days, your are obliged to give the house com- 
pletely up to them, yet they rid it so entirely of all 
other vermin that it is a great comfort, and as soon as 
ever they have accomplished this, their mission, they de- 
part. These ants are of a shining-dark brown color, 
about half an inch long, and they march along in regular 
files like soldiers, about eight or ten abreast. About 
every sixth row another ant, jet black and a third as 
Ions: as;ain as the others marches either beside them or 
between the ranks, like a captain. He never marches 
with the others, nor two of these together, unless they 
appear to be consulting. Well might Solomon tell us 
"to go to the ant and consider her ways and be wise." 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 307 

When they come to any impediment in their course the 
whole army halts, and a number of these large black 
ants collect together as if in consultation, and presently a 
detachment will be sent off in a different direction as if 
to explore. You may stand close to these little creatures 
and watch their actions for hours, if you do not disturb 
their line, but tread on them or in any way disturb their 
line of march, and woe betide you ; they swarm upon 
you in a moment and you never care for a similar greet- 
ing again. I have been told that their manner of cross- 
ing a little rivulet that is too deep for them to wade, is 
very singular. They will pause on its edge, and after a 
number of the captains have apparently consulted 
together, three or four of them will place themselves side 
by side, standing upright on their hind feet ; others will 
climb upon their shoulders and lock their fore feet in 
the fore feet of the first, with their heads placed on their 
heads. A third set now climb on those, locking them- 
selves with the previous ones, these will throw their 
bodies out horizontally, their middle claws entwining 
round each other ; others again join to them till the ob- 
stacle is spanned. Upon this natural bridge the whole 
army crosses over. When the bridge breaks up a num- 
ber of its component parts always perish ; a few thus 
sacrificing themselves for the good of the whole. I 
watched these little creatures for a length of time, and 
could only think, what must the Infinite be ! 

A Curiosity. — I had an amusing scene this morning. 
It is a rare thing for a white lady to be seen up here. I 
believe never more than one or two have ever been here ; 
therefore one is quite a curiosity. White gentlemen 



308 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



have been much more frequent. Well, one of my little 
colored girls, who comes to read to me, asked me this 
morning to please to let her brush my hair, as she used to 
do for her ladies at home in America. When the head 
aches it is often a great relief, so I was very glad to 
have her do it. We went and sat down on the piazza, 
and I took a book to read while she did it for me. But in 
less than a minute I had a dozen or more natives stand- 
ing around, with eyes and mouth wide open with aston- 
ishment. I have a great profusion of hair, as yet, appar- 
ently uninjured by the fever ; it is very long and very 
thick : and as the child passed the comb easily through 
it their wonder knew no bounds. They clapped their 
hands, laughed, shouted, and called to all who were 
near to come and see this marvellous sight. Then one 
of them, the head man, who could speak English a little, 
said: " Mammy, may I touch him?" I told him, 
"Yes." He came upon the piazza quite near me, and 
then put out his hand toward my hair and drew it 
back again several times, like a child in approaching the 
fire. He was very much afraid to touch it, and when 
he did at last venture his fears did not seem much re- 
moved. The softness of the hair, with its smooth, 
shining appearance, made him think of snakes. They 
could not tell what to make of it. It was really an 
amusing sight to see them. They stood watching the 
whole process of brushing, combing, braiding, and 
putting up the hair, with the most intense satisfaction, 
and then asked if they might bring their wives to see me. 

Poverty. — I have seen something to-day that made 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 309 

my heart ache, and yet it should lead me to deeper grat- 
itude to my Heavenly Father, for all his gifts to me. 
The poor colonists when they first come out here suffer, 
oh, so much ! They are taken care of and provided for 
for the first six months after their arrival. This is full as 
much as the Colonization Society can afford to do. 
Then they must take care of themselves, and this many 
of them have not the slightest idea of doing. They never 
have been used to thinking for themselves, and are as 
helpless as children. They probably have no money, 
and very little furniture or clothes ; and many of these, 
perhaps, have been brought up as house servants on a 
plantation — not used to hard labor or hardship. To 
them the change is very great. They suffer much, but 
their children will reap the advantage. Curtis "Wright,^ 

=&I give the names here, as I think, should any one feel disposed, 
when, at holidays or other times, from the abundance with which God 
has blessed their basket and store, they are selecting their gifts for their 
own little ones, to spare a trifle to purchase a little gift for those who can- 
not repay them, they may know those to whom the veriest trifle would 
be highly valuable. There are eight little girls, here on the St. Paul's 
river, varying in age from ten to fifteen, who have not one of them had 
a new dress probably for years, yet they are alwa3~s neat, clean, and 
whole. They all can read and write beautifully, and have exceedingly 
polite and courteous manners, and truly Christian parents, yet oh ! the 
depths of poverty. Two of these Christian parents are widows. Are 
there none who, by occasional little gifts, will make the widow's and the 
orphan's heart to sing for joy ? Any trifle sent to them to Uncle Simon — 
to the care of the Rev. J. L. Wilson, Presbyterian Mission Rooms, New- 
York — will reach them. As also for our own children, anything sent 
to any of them, by name, to the care of ihe Rev. S. D. Denison, Bible 
House, New- York, they will obtain. Think of it, friends, a thousand 
gifts to the children at your home will not call forth half the delight that 
one, particularly if sent out specially, will there. You may never have 
the satisfaction of seeing it, but recollect the promise of Christ to those 
who love His little ones. 



310 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

one ol the children who comes to read to me, a very- 
pretty light-colored girl of ahout fourteen, asked me to- 
day to go in with her to see her mother. I went with 
her. Her mother is a widow, with four children liv- 
ing home with her, of whom Curtis is the eldest. She 
has one daughter married, but able only very slight- 
ly to assist her mother. They are all very light-colored 
and very pretty. Mrs. "Wright's house is a small log- 
hut, the logs none of them larger than a child's arm. 
These are placed as close together as possible, but with 
nothing to fill up the interstices or to exclude the night 
air, except just at the head of the bed, where a small 
piece of matting is hung up as a protection. The roof 
is thatched, and projects a long way over the side, so as 
in some way to shield the side from the rain. There is 
a place for a window with a shutter, but no windows 
here ; indeed I forgot to say that there are no windows 
anywhere in Africa, except at the mission houses and a 
few of the more wealthy inhabitants, and most of the 
churches. There are no windows at Uncle Simon's or 
at the little church, only places for them and shutters. 
They are too great luxuries. 

Mrs. Wright's furniture is not very costly, consisting 
of an old bedstead with a patch-work coverlet ; one 
large and one small chest, and two or three boards 
nailed up for shelves in one corner. On these there are 
a Bible and two or three school books belonging to the 
children ; one plate, cup, and knife, and a small pot. 
This, with a little tin pail (that holds about a quart, with 
which they fetch water from a rivulet about a quarter 
of a mile distant, down a steep hill), completes the fur- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 311 

niture. When we went in, Mrs. Wright was lying on 
her hard pallet reading the Word of God. She has 
had a dreadful ulcer in her leg for over nine months. 
She has been trying to do everything for it. It is the 
most fearful looking sore you ever saw, and terribly 
painful. She would be able to do some sewing if she 
could only get it to do, but the people are too poor to 
have anything to make. Uncle Simon sends her her daily 
food, and the children live upon what they can cultivate 
themselves, rice and cassadas ; and yet even these chil- 
dren occasionally put something in the missionary box, 
for they will go out into the woods and get peanuts, and 
sometimes they can send them to Monrovia and get a 
few pence, which is gladly and joyfully put in the 
box. What sacrifices, what self-denials do we make at 
home for God's cause ? What lady among us would 
ever think that she could go with one ring the less, or 
one flounce the less to her dress, or what man will go 
with one cigar the less, that so the Gospel may be spread ? 
And yet see these poor children ; their peanuts would 
help out their scanty pittance of food, but they are freely 
given that the " Bread of Life" may be carried to those 
" perishing for lack of food." Mrs. Wright spoke with 
the greatest cheerfulness, and with warm expressions 
of gratitude and thanksgiving to God for giving her 
such good friends — not a single murmur or complaint; 
and her wants and sufferings had to be inquired into 
for you to know them, I left that lowly hut, hav- 
ing learned lessons of gratitude to God, and of deep 
self-abasement and repentance at my want of faith, love, 
and gratitude. 



312 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

The Mite. — In giving we often think our mite is so 
small it cannot possibly do any good, but you know the 
old proverb : 

" Mighty oaks from little acorns grow." 

Now think, ten little pennies will buy a Testament. 
Now just count and see how many leaves there are in a 
Testament, and see how many of those leaves one penny 
will buy. Now I will tell you what one of these leaves 
may sometimes be worth : worth ! why more than all the 
world, for is not one soul worth more than all the world ? 

I heard this little anecdote related by a mission- 
ary the other day : A large caravan was travelling 
the great desert in the northern part of Africa, and 
among them was a Christian missionary. He did not 
know that among all that people there was one who had 
ever heard of Jesus. One evening, when about to rest 
for the night, he heard a great bustle in the back part of 
the caravan ; upon asking the occasion of it he heard that a 
sick man had fallen off his camel and was supposed to be 
dying. He immediately went to the poor sick man, who 
was lying on the sand. No one knew who he was, 
therefore nobody took any notice of him, or did anything 
for him. They had not learned that their " neighbor is 
everybody — all their fellow creatures." The missionary 
found he was dying ; he raised his head, bathed it, and 
gave him some water to drink. Then, as the dying man 
opened his eyes for a moment, the missionary said to 
him, in the Arabic language : " Brother, you are 
dying ; have you any hope?" The dying man clasped 
his hands and exclaimed : " None but Jesus — none but 
Jesus." The missionary said: " Thank God; where 



/ y:>?--^ 



W 1 -^iMS^s:^^W^k' 




Only one leaf — its worth.. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 313 

did you hear of Him ?" " Here, here, only here — pre- 
cious Jesus," said the man. He then pulled out of his 
"bosom a torn and soiled leaf of the Bible, and fell back 
dead. The missionary took the leaf and found these 
words marked, " God so loved the world that he gave 
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him 
might not perish, but have everlasting life." The dead 
man was taken up and buried in the sand. No one knew 
anything more about him. But he is known in Heaven ; 
there too is known how and by what instrumentality he 
obtained that little leaf that told him of Jesus. How 
much was that leaf worth ? 

The Creek. — This evening we took a walk to the 
creek, it is a very beautiful way to it. You have to go 
down a deep narrow pathway, through a dense forest, 
the trees towering up on all sides to the height of eighty 
or ninety feet, all most gracefully festooned with wild 
vines. The trees meet above the rivulet of pure limpid 
water (the best and coolest I have tasted in Africa), which 
flows with* an ever murmuring sound ; this, with the 
notes of the strange birds and insects, fall with sweet 
melody on the ear. I do not know whether the scenes are 
really more beautiful here than at home, or whether it is 
that the heart is in different tune, but certainly they have, 
at times, an overpowering effect. Some of the children 
went down with us to the water, but, for a few minutes, 
we stood quiet and speechless. We then spoke of the 
grandeur of that scene and the beauty of that spot, 
where the white man's foot, probably, never before rest- 
ed — and the exquisite glory and beauty of this earth, 



314 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

when the Son shall claim the " heathen for his inherit- 
ance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his posses- 
sion." Then in the depths of these wilds, which had 
never heard the Saviour's name, we sang — 

" From all that dwell below the skies, 
Let the Creator's praise arise," &e. 

And then was poured forth a most earnest prayer 
for the poor heathen around, that light may shine in 
upon their darkness, and that this wilderness and solitary 
place may soon " rejoice and blossom as the rose." Truly 
it was a magnificent temple of nature's own erection in 
which we were worshiping 

Leopard. — This morning I saw a native boy, about 
twelve years of age, who had some dreadful wounds in 
his side. Last week, he laid down to sleep, in a field 
very near here, when a leopard sprung upon him, seized 
him, and was carrying him off when his cries brought a 
number of his friends to his rescue. Poor boy, he will 
carry the marks of the teeth and the claws to his grave. 

Travel. — There was a congregational meeting to-day, 
for the election of an Elder for the little church. We 
all went to the church, and I could not but observe, how 
needful it is to have " the wisdom of the serpent," com- 
bined with " the gentleness of the dove," in him who 
has to preside in such meetings ; here, particularly, 
where there is very great jealousy, in many of the colo- 
nists, of white influence. Poor people, they have not, 
many of them, the least power to rule or guide them- 






EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 315 

selves, and yet disdain to be guided, even for their own 
good, by the whites. This afternoon a man by the name 
of Ash came in, on his way to Monrovia. He has just 
returned from an exploring expedition. He, with a Mr. 
Seymour (both colonists), have been up into the Mandin- 
go country. He thinks they have traced the river, the 
St. Pauls, to its source, and he believes, allowing for its 
windings, it must be a thousand miles in length. Its 
whole length, however, is like our Mohawk, so full ol 
rapids that it is not navigable, except by canoes, and in 
many places not even by them ; the natives frequently 
having to wade and carry their canoes. Ash seems to 
be a very intelligent man. He and Seymour were sent by 
the Liberian government, w r ho paid their expenses, as 
they w r ish to open a communication with the interior 
tribes, for the purpose of trade. These men have been 
absent about nine months. They have met w T ith kind- 
ness in every instance save one, and that, he says, was 
their own fault. It appears it is the custom among 
these natives, if any stranger is reoeived kindly among 
them, wdien he wishes to proceed farther, for the king 
or headman to give him guides, and a sort of passport 
through his dominions, to the king of the next tribe ; 
he will do the same, and so you can travel safely from 
tribe to tribe. The king of the tribe, with whom they 
were staying being absent, on a warlike expedition, and 
they wishing to proceed, they left his dominions without 
this passport ; in consequence, they were attacked, robbed, 
wmmded, and scarcely escaped with their lives. Ash was 
offered as a slave, his value set at the rate of one gun ; 
all these tribes make slaves of their prisoners. At length, 



316 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

however, he escaped and reached again the town of the 
friendly chief he had left. It does seem as if Grod is 
opening this country as well as all others, for Missionary 
enterprise. Are there not those who will come, and 
enter in, and take possession " in the name of the Lord ?" 
Ash says, that the natives, up there, appear to be ignorant 
of the value of ivory, and yet that there is some there 
that it would take seven or eight men to carry. In 
many other respects they are far more civilized than 
those on the coast ; their religion is a corrupt sort of 
Mahometanism. The most of them can read and write 
a species of Arabic, and have portions of the Koran. 
Writing paper w T as almost worth its weight in gold. 
They raise cotton, and have a way of spinning, weav- 
ing, and dyeing cloth. Round the towns they have pal- 
isades, or mud walls, from thirteen to fifteen feet high, 
and eleven or twelve feet thick. The walls of their 
houses are made of mud, the floors likewise, and at one 
end of the hut a narrow ledge of mud is elevated above 
the rest for a sleeping place. 

Feasts. — We have been visiting some of the poor 
people. Most of their houses are just one room, they 
are formed of very small logs, set upright, quite close 
together, and then covered inside and outside by a spe- 
cies of matting which they make here. These do seem 
very comfortless to me. But we often forget that what 
would be utterly destitute of comfort to us, from the 
way in which we have been used to live, is almost lux- 
ury to others. God appoints cur lot, our sorrows, and 
our joys more equally than in our shortsightedness we 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 317 

are apt to imagine. When Mr. Williams came in at 
dinner, "Oh," lie said, "I have something to tell you, 
but I must wait till you have dined." I wish I could 
give you his graphic description. There is a strange 
looking little native boy, that comes about the premises 
a great deal, for the occasional food he may receive. The 
child gives you the idea of deformity, and yet you can- 
not tell why. He has staring red hair ; this, on one 
perfectly black, you may be sure, is very singular in its 
appearance, but it is by no means uncommon. Mr. 
Williams was out looking at the progress of the building 
the school house, when he saw this little urchin bending 
down over a fire made in the ground, apparently very 
intent on something:. On drawing; nearer he observed 
that the child had something wrapped up very carefully 
in some leaves in his hand. These, which looked like 
long white worms (a species of which they use for food), 
he was turning over very carefully ; selecting the fattest 
he held it on a stick in the fire, till it was partially roast- 
ed, and then eating it with great gusto, smacking his 
lips, and apparently taking an epicurean enjoyment in 
his food. The process was repeated again and again 
with infinite relish. Upon looking a little closer, to ob- 
serve the nature of the animal, Mr. Williams perceived 
that it was not a worm, but the entrails of the chicken 
we had for dinner, which the child was eating with 
so much relish. I am afraid our chicken would not have 
tasted quite so nice had we heard this before dinner. 

The native women have a custom of cramming their 
children. Thev begin when their infants are onlv a few 
days old. They will have about a teacup full of soft 



318 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

boiled rice, and holding the infant on their lap, with 
their fingers they will poke the rice down its throat, then 
with the hand rub the throat and the stomach to force 
the rice down — the poor child crying most piteously all 
the time ; this is continued till the whole of the rice has 
been forced down. The mother, meanwhile the child is 
crying, smiles and looks on most complacently, think- 
ing she is doing the best thing for her child. After the 
stuffing operation is completed, the child is rubbed all 
over with palm oil, and then laid down for an hour or 
two before the fire. You must suppose the child who 
lives through this ordeal must have a tough constitution. 
They are very good children, you rarely hear one cry ex- 
cept when undergoing this operation. This is a daily 
process. 

Last night I was awakened by hearing quite a scuff- 
ling and scrambling in my room. But as in the next 
room to mine, which is only separated by a mat, a hen 
with a brood of young chickens rests under the bed for fear 
of snakes out of doors, I just thought, perhaps she had 
mistaken her quarters, and found her way into my room, 
so I quietly went to sleep again. When it was daylight 
I called to my nurse, who was sleeping on a sort of couch 
in my room, to look on the floor between her couch and 
my bed. There lay the cat, very quietly purring away, 
while beside her lay the bloody remains of a snake, which 
she had partly devoured. Whether she had brought it 
in to devour, or whether it had found its own way in, 
and she had killed it there, I know not. From its ap- 
pearance then it must have been from four to five feet 
long, about as large round as a child's arm, and of a 
beautiful bright blue color. Mrs. Carrol, in great horrcr, 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 



319 



flung it away, so our gentlemen did not see it to be able 
to recognize the species. 1 felt very timid after that, 
though I did not say a word, as when we are placed in 
such circumstances, it is our duty to try and overcome 
our fears, and not to torment all around us with them, 
when it is not in their power to allay them. It is so 
sweet always to feel, in every circumstance, that there 
is an " eye that never slumbers or sleeps," constantly 
watching over us, and nothing can harm us but by His 
permission, and if he allows it we know it is for our 
good, and with his protection 

" On the lion, vainly roaring, 

On his young, our foot shall tread, 
And the dragon's den exploring, 
We shall bruise the serpent's head." 

Oh, for perfect faith, and trust in our Almighty Father's 
love 1 

Pleasure. — On Sunday an Eider was ordained, and 
Uncle Simon preached from the text, " He was made a 
curse for us." What deep earnest love he has for his 
Redeemer. He has not had much of man's teaching or 
learning, not much of worldly knowledge, but he has 
been " taught of God." His library is the Bible, and he 
illustrates and explains it by itself beautifully. He has 
the true wisdom. His fervent, earnest prayers always 
carry you to the foot of the cross. I am daily learning 
lessons. Oh, may they be remembered ! 

The air is very balmy and refreshing ; it must be 
healthy. I have not had a touch of fever since I have 
been up here, but still I am very far from strong. I 



320 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

hope my voyage down the coast may strengthen me. It 
will be rather longer than it was coming up, as the 
" Stevens" has to stop and land passengers and freight 
at several places. We are looking for her now, hourly ; 
so to-morrow we leave here for Monrovia, to be in time 
to welcome our new friends. We are looking anxiously 
for them. There is to be a meeting of Presbytery at 
Sinou, about thirty miles above Cape Palmas, so a num- 
ber of the Presbyterian clergymen will go down in the 
" Stevens" with us. This afternoon we took a walk 
down to the river. There are several large rocks out in 
the water, under the shade of some beautiful mimosa 
trees, which tower up some seventy or eighty feet above 
the water. We went out and sat down under the shade 
of these trees on the rocks, and talked of the wonderful 
works of God, displayed here in all their grandeur, and 
then of loved ones at home. Poor Mrs. Carrol (my nurse), 
though, was in momentary dread of snakes ; her fears 
were almost ludicrous — mistaking every withered branch 
or pendent vine, for the object of her terror. Here we 
had quite a little Bethel — reading some beautiful selec- 
tions of God's Word — singing those precious hymns, 
" Guide me, oh thou great Jehovah," and " How firm a 
foundation/' and praying for the heathen around us, 
the missionary friends coming to us, and for all, all we 
loved at home. Truly, we could feel that our God was 
with us — that " the Almighty dwelleth, not in temples 
made with human hands," but " wherever two or three 
are gathered together in his name, there will he be to 
bless them." Jn travelling through this wilderness He 
often gives us manna to eat, and refreshes us with springs 
from the pure river of the water of life. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 321 

Aunt Mcey was telling me that there used to be great 
quantities of monkeys about here, but wherever civil- 
ized man takes up his abode, the lower animals have to 
give place before him. She says, that some time ago 
she saw some natives catch a monkey, and while it was 
living, put it on the fire and roast it, and then they ate 
it, skin, entrails, and all. She said the moans and groans 
of the poor little animal were so like a child it made her 
sick. " The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." 

Monrovia. — "We came down the river to-day in Uncle 
Simon's canoe. It is a very large one, and he arranged 
it quite comfortably for us, making seats and backs with 
boards, and putting in pillows. A heavy thunder storm 
came up while we were on the water, but having um- 
brellas we did not get much wet. A clergyman's office 
here is no sinecure. I will give you an idea of some 
of Mr. Gibson's duties. Every third Sunday morning 
he goes across the river, in turn with others, to preach 
to the Kroo and Veys — this is at seven o'clock. Then he 
has service every Sunday in the morning and evening at 
his little church, or rather school-room, here, and then 
he has Sunday School in the afternoon — this he is obliged 
to superintend. He, in turn with the others, preaches 
Sunday afternoons to the Congoes. Oftentimes, on the 
Sabbath, besides these duties, there are the sick or 
funerals to attend, so that frequently he has barely time 
to catch his meals. Through the week he has an even- 
ing service and an afternoon prayer meeting, besides 
preaching twice in the heathen towns. Then he has to 
attend to the building of the church, and most of its 

14* 



322 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

secular affairs. I have just mentioned a few items. You 
see our laborers have a chance " to wear out" here, but 
not " to rust out." 

I have made a few calls to-day. I am very much 
pleased with Mrs. Benson, the President's wife. She is 
a quiet, lady- like, unassuming woman. 

The Stevens. — Early this morning we heard that the 
" Stevens" had arrived, bringing a noble band of mis- 
sionaries. I received my letters, giving me confirmation 
of my father's peaceful death. Safe at home, safe at 
home ! Christ being all. 

This afternoon, after reading my letters, our new 
friends came to see me. There were Rev. Mr. and Mrs. 
Stone, of the Baptist mission. They are going considerably 
farther down the coast, to Abbeokuta. The Rev. Mr. Syes, 
of the Methodist church ; he was formerly out here for 
many years. He has now been sent out to look after 
these Congoes, see whatis to be done with them, &c. Miss 
Kilpatric, also of the Methodist church, is come out 
again (she had to return home, some months ago, on 
account of her health) to take charge of her school up 
the river, where she has labored most perseveringly, the 
only white lady. And we have quite a reinforcement for 
our mission ; the Rev. Messrs. Rambo, Messenger, and 
Hubbard, with their wives. We surely have cause to 
" thank God and take courage." The " Stevens" brings 
a number of passengers, among whom is the Rev. Mr. 
Burns (colored) who has just been to America to receive 
ordination as a Bishop of the Methodist church. We hear 
he is going to be married immediately to the young lady who 
has had charge of Miss Kilpatric's school, in her absence. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 323 

It will probably be two weeks, or more, ere the 
" Stevens" leaves here, as she has much freight to dis- 
charge. So many little kind mementoes from loving 
friends ! oh, for grateful hearts ! 

Christmas Day. — This morning, at the breakfast table, 
a little package was laid by my place ; a strange boy had 
brought it, but no one knew from whence. On opening 
it I found a number of letters and a beautiful book from 
a dear friend at home. On the inside she wrote, wish- 
ing me a happy Christmas, she little thought I should 
receive it Christmas morning ; but it remains a mystery 
to me how it came, for all from the ship disclaim any 
knowledge of it. But I have it, many thanks, kind 
friend. All our friends, from the ship, were on shore, 
and after service, we were invited to different places to 
dine. In the afternoon we all met at Dr. Mc Grill's and 
went in a body to the National Fair, which is now being 
held in what is called the Palm palace, a building con- 
structed in the Government square for the purpose. This 
is the second fair, only, that has been held, and it is 
very respectable. There are samples of cotton, sugar- 
cane, fruits, vegetables, and flowers, country cloth, and 
chairs, looms, tools, &c. There is one very beautiful 
wardrobe, made of a wood they call bastard mahogany. 
After we had remained here till we were tired, we ac- 
companied our friends to the boat. Miss Kilpatric and 
Mr. Syes remain in Monrovia — she returned and took 
tea with me 

Sunday. — Mr. Messenger preached in the Presbyterian 



324 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

Church — Mr. Rambo preached for Mr. Gibson. In the 
afternoon we had a Missionary meeting. Mr. Russell, 
an Episcopal clergyman from up the river, gave us a 
very interesting account of the work amongst the na- 
tives there. There are about thirty towns in his vicinity, 
which he visits, each once a month, preaching in all. 
In most of these they have built a little hut, which they 
call the church, for him to preach in when he goes there, 
and they all of them are crying out for God men " to 
go teach them," that they " want to leave country fash, 
and to do God fash," and they are begging earnestly for 
teachers. This seems to be the cry now amongst them 
all. May God hasten the time when we shall say 
" Great is the multitude of preachers." Miss Kilpatric 
is going up to her school to-morrow 

The Congoes. — Some of our friends, from the vessel, 
come on shore each day ; I enjoy their company much. 
We have had letters from Cavalla ; both the Bishop and 
Mrs. Payne very unwell again, they have concluded to return 
to America by the Stevens. It will be a sore trial to me, 
their leaving, but they need the change much. I spoke 
of Mr. Syes, the colonization agent, he came out now in 
the Stevens. He invited us all (the white people) to 
dine with him to-day at his boarding house. Mr. Gib- 
son's house being near the boat landing, when they come 
on shore, all collect here. About eleven o'clock all were 
assembled and we went up to his house ; we had a very 
pleasant day, but I fear I am going to be ill again. I 
have a great deal of fever, and yet am so weak. After 
dinner we went up to the Receptacle (the place provided 




EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 325 

by the Colonization Society for the emigrants on their 
first arrival), where the poor Congoes are lodged ; they 
were eating their dinners — corned beef and sweet potatoes. 
The poor things arc beginning to recover somewhat from 
the effects of their ill usage, though still they look de- 
plorably ; they have all now nice clothing and seem quite 
happy. Mr. Rambo addressed them through an inter- 
preter, and Mr. Hubbard prayed fervently for them. 
They then sang for us one of their native songs, one man 
standing up and leading them, and as they sang, he 
went through a great variety of most graceful manip- 
ulations, all imitating him, and as the gesture was 
changed the note was changed. There was not much 
melody, I must confess, in their song, but the time was 
most accurate, and would have done good to the heart 
of a music-master, and that from two hundred at once. 
The Congoes are young; I should not think that there is 
one among them over thirty. The interpreter is a re- 
captured Congo, w T ho was brought here about fourteen 
years ago ; he is now a Christian, and, to his great joy, 
has discovered an own brother* among the new arrived. 
Oh ! that I had an eloquent pen that could touch the 
heart, and make others see these scenes as I see them. 
We must pray that friends may be raised up for these 
poor friendless ones — that they may be taught the knowl- 
edge of the only true friend 

The Gospel. — Mr. Gibson was telling us to-night, 
that when the Bishop was up here, some time ago, he 

* A mother's child. Others are called my father's son or daughter, but 
a mother's child is a brother or sister. 



326 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

preached from the text, ' ; Woe is me if I preach not 
the Gospel." He was heard by a young man of the first 
standing, and good education, who is doing an excellent 
business. He is a member of the Church, and that 
sermon made him feel that it was his duty to give up 
all, to preach the Gospel to the heathen. He has been 
struggling with conviction, all his family opposing him, 
but now he has determined to give up all for Christ, and 
he has written to the bishop, to know what course he 
must pursue to obtain a theological education and pre- 
pare for the ministry. Is not God amongst us when the 
Africans, themselves, are waking up to their duty to 
their brethren, and devoting themselves to the work? 
Pray, pray for the Missions, pray earnestly ; we know 
not how much of the success in the work here, is in an- 
swer to the faithful prayers of those at home. God has 
promised the blessing — " Yet for all these things will I 
be inquired of by the house of Israel, saith the Lord." 

Sickness. — So there is a break, in my journal, of 
twelve days again. Our Heavenly Father constantly 
teaches us our weakness and our need, of daily depend- 
ence upon Him. The commencement of this year has 
been ushered in, to me, on a bed of sickness, pain, and lan- 
guishing — where will its close find me ? Oh ! for growth 
in grace and preparation for the eternal world. In read- 
ing the account of the building of Solomon's temple, 
we find that not an axe or a hammer was lifted up upon 
the temple itself, nor the sound of it heard, but each 
separate stone was cut, and carved, and wrought, and 
polished, beneath in the earth, ere it was fit to take its 



EVERY DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 327 

place in that sacred pile ; and is it not so with the 
heavenly temple ? Must not each living stone which is 
to occupy a place in that holy building, be cut and pol- 
ished, and wrought into fitness and meetness, for the 
position it is there to occupy ? No sound of the work- 
men's tools will be heard there ; it is here, on earth, that 
each stone is to be prepared for its future place, in the 
" building of God, the house not made with hands, 
eternal in the heavens." May our prayer be, not that we 
be spared the process of preparation, but that each stroke 
may only render us more beautiful and fit us the sooner 
to take our position there. 

So much kindness has been shown me in my sickness, 
oh ! for a thankful heart. The principal people of Mon- 
rovia have shown every kindness and attention to the 
Missionaries. We have all been invited out to dine every 
day, and though I could not accept the hospitalities, the 
others were enabled to do so. On New Year's day there 
was a grand pic-nic given to the united Sunday Schools, 
the expenses entirely defrayed by one or two gentlemen. 
It was held on a lovely spot, near the point of the cape. 
They had a delightful day. To-day we were invited to 
the President's; it being very near, I was enabled to go. 
We sat down to dinner, about forty of us ; everything 
was in excellent style — a very fine display of cut-glass, 
silver, damask, &c, and a very pleasant company. Be- 
fore going out this morning, a basket was brought me ; 
on opening it, I found a large, beautiful, iced cake. Miss 
Kilpatric had sent it me from up the river. Bishop 
Burns, of the Methodist Church, was married yesterday, 
to her assistant teacher. She has been busy making 



328 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

cake and did not forget us, probably thinking it would be 
nice on board ship (we leave in a day or two). " Little 
deeds of kindness, little acts of love," what beautiful 
flowers they are, springing up by the way side. 

Friends. — "We dined with Bishop Burns and his bride 
to-day. We spent a pleasant day, and, before parting, 
had a delightful prayer meeting. When I reached home 
I found Uncle Simon had come down the river, expect- 
ing the vessel would sail to-morrow. She does not, 
however, till Monday. Aunt Mcey had been thinking 
of something to send me, so she sent me a pretty little 
rice bird, but it looks very drooping ; I fear it will die. 
The little children I had gathered together sent me many 
messages, and much love, and wrote me three or four 
little notes. Dear children, I may never see them again. 
Mr. Syes is going down in the Stevens with us, with 
about eighty of the Congoes. These he is going to dis- 
tribute at different points down the coast as far as Cape 
Palmas. I feel very sad to-day, the doctor tells me he 
fears that I shall have to return home to America. This 
constant fever has so broken me down, he fears I can- 
not regain strength here. My voyage back to Cavalla 
may, perhaps, strengthen me. It would indeed be a 
bitter trial to leave my work here — but G-od knows best. 
Poor Artee does not seem much benefited by her voy- 
age. The doctor fears she is incurable. It is a strange 
disease, this sleepy disease. It is often hereditary ; the 
person suffers no pain, but constant heaviness and stu- 
por. Eating, drinking, walking, no matter what they 
are doing, they will fall asleep ; then it seems as if the 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 329 

brain gradually softens and the person becomes slightly 
deranged, and after two or three years the whole frame be- 
comes gradually weakened and they expire. Artee has 
troubled us so much by her strange way of acting lately, 
but it was a relief when the doctor told us it was her 
disease. She was a fine girl ; one of the most promising 
at the Asylum. But this is an affliction sent from the 
"All-wise." 

The Stevens. — So I have said good-bye to my kind 
friends at Monrovia. When saying farewell to Ex-Pres- 
ident Roberts, he said he was sure they would soon send 
me to America, as he thought I was not fit to remain in 
Africa at present. I laughingly told him he was a 
"bird of ill-omen" and he must not croak (I little 
thought he would be so true a prophet.) The Stevens is 
a very fine vessel ; she is very much crowded with pas- 
sengers. The captain told us to be on board to-night, 
but we are not to sail till to-morrow. The Congoes are 
not on board yet. How it troubles me, the thought of 
the possibility of my having to leave my work. I feel 
as if I could willingly die here, if such is (rod's will, but 
to leave ! Well, we know " the Lord doeth as he will 
among the inhabitants of earth." 

We have a very pleasant company on board. Quite a 
band of ministers. They conduct family worship in 
turns, though of so many denominations, there is never a 
jarring note. All are " one in Christ Jesus." Our cap- 
tain seems a rough old customer. 

Bassa. — We anchored off Bassa. Mr. Rambo went im- 



330 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

mediately on shore to pack his furniture. Before his 
return to America, this used to be his station, but now 
he is to remove to Rocktown, so he wishes to remove his 
furniture. Mr. T. Thompson has been ordained and 
appointed to this station. 

We all dined on shore at the mission-house to-day. It 
is a very pretty house, and lovely location ; but it is said 
to be very unhealthy. Here in the garden, entirely 
alone, lies the grave of the first Mrs. Rambo, a most 
lovely women. At first it gave me a very sad feeling 
to view that lonely grave, but in an instant came the 
remembrance that her white-robed spirit had joined the 
countless multitude which no man can number, bought 
by the precious blood of the Lamb. 

Some native women came round us at the house, par- 
ticularly admiring our hair, and Mrs. Rambo kindly let 
her's down that they might have the satisfaction of ex- 
amining it. Mr. "Williams showed them his watch, with 
which they were much delighted. He then told them it 
was like a man, showing them the works. He said 
while those works were good the face was all right, the 
hands moved right, and the watch told the truth, but if 
those works inside were bad the hands did not move 
right, and the watch did not tell the truth ; so if a 
man's heart inside him was good his hands would do 
good ; he would act right and his mouth w T ould speak 
rioiit and true things ; but if his heart was wicked and 
bad he would say and do all bad things. He also told 
them that the watch sometimes got wrong, out of repair — 
then it must go to the watchmaker's to be made right, so 
our hearts get wrong, out of repair — then we must take 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 331 

them to G-od in prayer to set them right. He told them 
this so simply and easily, that they seemed to understand 
and appreciate every word. The gentlemen had ap- 
pointed service in the afternoon, but as it was a two 
miles' walk, along the beach, to the little church, none of 
the ladies went ; we, therefore, returned early on board 
the ship. I have had very high fever again for the past 
two days. 

Sinoe. — "We put into Sinoe this morning. All our 
Presbyterian brethren are gone on shore to attend the 
conference. The Stevens will remain here two or three 
days ; by that time conference will be over, so Mr. 
Williams and Uncle Simon will go on in the Stevens 
to Cape Palmas, and then return in her. She will be 
there two or three days. Uncle Simon wants to visit 
some of our native schools to observe the management of 
them. 

Mr. and Mrs. Rambo and myself went on shore this 
morning. We went first to call on the Rev. Mr. Grreen, 
the Episcopal clergyman, and his wife. He has a very 
pretty little church, in the Grothic style ; it is his own de- 
signing. We went in to see it ; from there we went to 
the Presbyterian church, it was the closing of the con- 
ference. This is quite a large building. We here 
heard several excellent addresses, and then went to dine 
at the house of Mr. Priest, the minister. In his garden 
there is a splendid lemon tree that covers an area of 
over thirty feet, and it produces the largest lemons I ever 
saw. We left Sinoe in our boat about four o'clock, and 
our vessel got under weigh again at six. 



332 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



HOME. 

"We ancliored off Cape Palmas last evening, and soon 
were safe at the Asylum, and I am sure our new comers 
must be satisfied with their reception. The Bishop has 
come up to-day to welcome all. He, with all the rest, 
remained to transact some business and to settle the 
abodes of our new friends, but I came down home ; 
Home ! how pleasant a word it is. Mrs. Payne was 
much disappointed at my appearance. She hoped to see 
me looking quite well, and she thinks I hardly look any 
better than when I went away. Mrs. Grillet and all the 
girls came to meet me, some distance along the beach, 
but it growing dark before I arrived, they were obliged to 
return home, thinking I should not be here till to-morrow. 
About eight o'clock I stepped into the school-house, and 
1 almost thought I should have been torn to pieces. Only 
think of forty-two girls with their teacher all crowded 
round you, each one trying to give you the first hug. 
I had to make my escape very quickly again, but it is 
pleasant to feel you possess the love of these poor chil- 
dren. I desire to thank God for it. 

Mrs. (xillet. — I have not described her to you. She 
is a tall, large woman, very dark, but with a very good- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 333 

natured, smiling, pleasant face. She was brought into the 
school many years ago, a little naked heathen child ; as 
ignorant and degraded as any among them. Now she is 
a Christian teacher, in every way thoroughly well suited 
to the position she fills. She teaches and explains the 
Bible well to the children, showing them clearly the way 
of salvation through Christ. She is kind and affectionate, 
while, at the same time, she maintains good discipline 
and makes the children obey her. She has a nice little 
bed-room off the school-room, fitted up very neatly ; 
there she can oversee the girls at all times, being with 
them night and day. I have sometimes gone into her 
room, where she would be sitting, neatly dressed, reading 
or sewing, and her own mother would come in to see 
her, a perfect heathen, wearing only a little cloth (they 
do not like to wear more clothing, many of them). I 
think how painful it must be to the daughter to see her 
own dear mother still so far away from the true Grod. 

Mrs. Grillet has been telling me that during the holi- 
days she has been up to visit Brownell, one of our 
native teachers; who, with his wife, is up at Mtie Lu, 
a hundred miles up the Cavalla river. Here he has a 
little school, which has been established about a year. 
The boys in this school, one year ago, were perfect 
heathens, had then never even heard the name of 
G-od. Mrs. Grillet says to see them at prayer it is so 
pleasant. They all kneel, with their eyes fixed 
on their teacher, and no matter what happens they 
never look away from him. She asked one of these little 
boys how it was when there was any strange noise out 
nf doors that he did not turn his head to see. He 



334 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

answered, " If we turn our heads to see, then our ears 
will follow our eyes, and our hearts will follow our ears, 
and God says we must pray with our hearts." May we 
not learn lessons from poor African children ? Mrs. 
Grillet's husband was a very fine young Christian man, 
a good Krooman. One of the French emigrant vessels 
tempted him and several others of our young Christian 
men, with the promise of high wages and a speedy 
return, to ship on board of her about four years ago. The 
Bishop strongly advised them not, telling them what he 
believed to be the character of the vessel. The tempta- 
tion, however, was too strong, they thought he must be 
mistaken. They went, but have never since been heard 
of. I fear she is widowed for life. 

Ordination. — Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard, and Mr. and 
Mrs. Messenger, are appointed to reside at Cavalla ; Mr. 
and Mrs. Rambo at Rocktown. The Bishop has con- 
cluded not to return by the Stevens, but to go by the 
next English mail steamer ; then, he will be able, in the 
meantime, to initiate our new missionaries a little in 
their work. This is an arduous post, particularly for 
new comers. May they have grace given them, and 
strength according to their day. Mr. Hubbard was or- 
dained on Sunday. Mr. Rambo came down to be pres- 
ent. May he be a faithful soldier of the cross. "The 
Stevens has left. 

The Magic Lantern. — I forgot to mention a pleasant 
circumstance that occurred a little while ago. Some 
kind gentleman has sent us out a magic lantern, with 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 335 

scripture pictures ; and Mr. Hoffman was showing it to 
our children, any of the natives who chose to come in, 
and explaining it to them, when he came to the picture 
of Christ as a babe at Bethlehem ; whilst explaining this 
he paused for a moment, when instantly a number of the 
children struck up singing that beautiful hymn : 

" Salvation, oh ! the joyful sound, 
Glad tidings to our ears." 

No one had told them to do this ; it seemed as if it 
burst forth involuntarily from their lips. It did sound 
so appropriate, it truly was singing from their heart. 
May this word, " salvation," soon be glad tidings of great 
joy in all the nations of the earth. 

Illness. — Since writing last, I have again been led by 
my Father's hand down to the " border land," and for 
two or three days to stand, as it were, on the very edge ; 
but "thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory 
through Jesus Christ our Lord," I was enabled to bow 
with submission to his will, and say, " my Father, thy 
will be done." In health, I always have an instinctive 
horror of death, yet, when in the " dark valley," the 
" King of terrors" loses most of his hideousness. Now, 
when doubts, and fears, and Satan's legions beset me, I 
could put them to flight with these two passages, which 
never left my mind. " Simon, Simon, Satan hath 
desired to have thee, that he might sift thee as wheat : 
but /have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not ;" and 
again, " He ever liveth to make intercession for us," and 
I felt it to be impossible for His prayers to fail. But it 



336 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

has pleased the " Lord and Griver of life," again to raise 
me up from what all thought to be my bed of death. I 
am just able to sit up. The Bishop and Mrs. Payne at 
first spoke of my returning home with them ; but now, 
it is hoped, that after this severe illness, the worst I 
have had in Africa, that, perhaps, I may be better than 
I have been at all. If it is God's will, I hope it may be 
so, for it is the one earnest desire of my heart to labor 
for Africa. Mrs. Hoffman is just taken with fever ; as 
yet it is slight ; some have it very lightly, we hope it 
may be so with her. 

Funeral. — Last night the girls had a visit from the 
drivers in their school-house. "What a noise and hubbub 
there was ; Mrs. OHllet had to desert her room, and give 
them entire possession of the lower story, but they did 
not go up stairs ; this morning they have disappeared. 
Eliza Hutchings, the wife of one of our native teachers, 
formerly a scholar in the girls' school, came to the village 
a week ago, very sick of dysentery, a very prevalent dis- 
ease now. The doctor has been carefully attending her, 
but she died last evening. Her end was peace. Last 
week, this time, I lay very low. Why was I spared ? 
She was buried this morning ; she was placed in a neat 
deal coffin, and carried into the church, where the fune- 
ral service was performed. It was very sad to see the 
poor mother, as she followed the coffin, at times embra- 
cing it with frantic cries and gestures. She is a heathen ? 
and her manner was in striking contrast with the sub- 
dued grief of the Christian relatives. She had no hope. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 337 

Departure. — The evening after the Bishop and his 
dear wife left us, I again had a severe relapse, probably 
owing to excitement consequent on their departure. I 
had promised them, ere they left, that should I be ill 
again, I would take the first opportunity to return to 
America ; as if I could not labor, I should only be an 
additional burden. All our new missionaries have had 
occasional attacks of fever, though, thanks be to God, 
none of them had yet been dangerously ill. I fear I was 
very rebellious to God's will. I was not willing to give 
up my loved work ; I felt as if I could die, if it were 
God's will, but not leave there. How hard we often find 
it to say in all things, " Thy will be done!" I left 
Africa in the next English steamer after the Bishop and 
his wife, hoping that we should take them up at Madeira, 
as they were to stay there for a month. Here is an 
extract from my journal, written out at sea : — " Yes ! I 
have had to leave Africa, it may be forever ; at times, I 
hardly think I shall live to reach home. God knows 
best, but ah! it was a sad and bitter trial. I love my 
work, I love my children, and they love me, but ' God's 
ways are not as our ways.' I have been ill, so ill ; high 
fever every day ; but every alternate day the pulse 
would be up to one hundred and thirty, accompanied by 
four or five hours' vomiting and retching, with utter 
prostration ; each of those days we all thought that 
death would take place. But God mercifully spared me ; 
every kindness and attention was shown me ; all that 
could be, was done for me. One week the doctor scarcely 
left my bedside ; I shall ever remember with gratitude 
his kind attentions. My poor children would come 



338 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

quietly into the room without making a sound, and 
stand looking at me, with such sad countenances, some- 
times the tears stealing silently down their cheeks ; and 
if I would give them anything to do, they seemed so 
happy, to rub my feet or hands, bathe my head, or fetch 
me water. Poor children, I never knew how much they 
loved me before. Three days, when I was very ill, Mrs. 
Gillet stayed in my room all day, leaving Lucie in charge 
of the school ; and as for poor Lucie herself, every mo- 
ment that she could spare, she was in my room. The 
villagers, men and women, used to come and look in 
every day at the door. If able, I would speak to them ; 
if not, they would just look at me sadly, and go away. 
I had not been aware that they had so much affection in 
their nature. But it is not often that it has such an op- 
portunity of being tested, as a serious illness here is sel- 
dom of long duration. At length I told Mr. Hoffman 
that I would leave by the steamer ; it had been a bitter 
struggle to me to decide on this ; but he, with others, 
had proved to me, that it was like committing suicide to 
remain. By leaving, there was only the shadow of a 
hope that I might recover, but if I remained, it was 
utterly impossible. The doctor took me up from Cavalla 
to Cape Palmas, though much fearing I should not sur- 
vive the journey. Many of the natives, particularly the 
Christians from the towns, came to 'look me' before Heft; 
and my children followed me for miles. May God bless 
them, and send them one far more efficient than I have 
been, to teach them. When the steamer arrived, I was 
carried on board in my hammock, my nurse going with 
me, to take care of me, Little, T believe, did any one 

/ 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 339 

think I should live to reach the shores of England ; and 
I could not even look a farewell to my beloved African 
home. Two days before I came on board my fever was 
broken, and the sea breeze immediately began to revive 
me ; in a few days I could leave my close state-room, 
and lie on a couch in the saloon, or be taken for a few 
minutes on deck. I was obliged to send my nurse on 
shore at Sierra Leone, to return by the first opportunity to 
Cavalla, as the charges are so high on these vessels that 
I could not bring her on, and my strength was returning 
that I could begin to help myself. To-day, I am con- 
siderably better, so I can scribble a little with a pencil, 
as I lie on the sofa. Every alternate day, though, my 
fever is still very high." 

Passengers. — The steamer is a fine one, but our 
sleeping accommodations very poor, and the attendance 
miserable. "We are rather crowded and have a medley 
set on board. One colored girl, who is very rich and 
very homely — she has received an excellent education in 
England. She is from Fernando Po. Two or three of 
the gentlemen on board pay her great attention, and to 
see the airs and graces and the spoilt ways and ridiculous 
behaviour of the young lady, is at once sad, yet amus- 
ing. I often think it would be a lesson to some of our 
flirts if they could see themselves thus caricatured. 
Then we had three quadroons on board — they went on 
shore at Sierra Leone. They were very beautiful and 
graceful — just enough African blood in them to give a 
warm glow to their skins. They have amused them- 
selves sitting on deck, drinking champagne, ale and port, 



340 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

till, each night, they were completely " how come you 
so." Then we have a sea captain, brought on board 
dying ; he now looks somewhat better ; there are hopes 
he may recover. We have two doctors, one from the 
navy, the other in the army, neither of them have 
been here a year, but both of them obliged to return 
from ill health. Doctor D'Lyon placed me under the 
care of the army doctor, but since the first day I came 
on board he has been so drunk all the time that he has 
not been near me. The other has prescribed for me. 
Then we have quite a number of army officers — all going 
back for health. One has his wife and two little sickly 
children with him. Then there are three Spanish 
gentlemen from Fernando Po : the Spanish consul, 
the captain of the frigate, and one other. They have 
been but a few months there, but appear more dead than 
alive. "What can it be that makes this climate so fatal 
to the Saxon race ? We have one American gentleman, 
one French lady with her child, besides many others, 
colored and white. 

Sierra Leone. — At Sierra Leone the harbor is very 
pretty, and presents a lively appearance. It is almost a 
semicircle, formed by high hills, or rather mountains, at 
the foot of which lies the town. The streets are wide 
and the houses look like good ones, but for the deface- 
ment of the climate, which gives them all such an old 
look, but the cocoa-nut trees thickly scattered through the 
town have a fine appearance. The mountains in the 
background are very broken and picturesque, but almost 
entirely barren. The government house and barracks 



•4 









Ul 







EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 341 

are situated on the summit of one 01 these hills ; they 
are very fine buildings, and rising behind them is a high 
hill, the only one covered with foliage. Vessels can ap- 
proach the shore much closer here than at any port in 
Liberia, and we saw as many as fifty lying at anchor ; 
among them three English steam frigates. The scene 
is very pretty — so much activity and bustle. The lighters 
plying continually between the vessels, carrying coal, 
produce, &c, and the little skiffs with their gaily dressed 
company, combine to enliven the harbor. Then there 
are several varieties of gulls, which seem contending with 
the fishermen which shall have the largest portion of the 
finny tribes with which these waters teem. 

We lay off here three days ; one of those days I was 
very ill indeed ; I did not think I should live till night, 
but in consequence of a water-pipe having burst, my 
berth was flooded, therefore I was obliged to lie on a 
couch in the saloon. That day I was quite heart sick, 
almost in despair. I was alone, far from home or friends, 
death staring me in the face, and — what had never 
troubled me before — thoughts of a watery grave haunted 
me, with the thought that I had no one to tell to those I 
love, how I had departed. I felt as if man and God had 
forsaken me. But that evening (rod sent a " srood Sa- 
maritan" to me. An English missionary of the Wes- 
leyan Church (I know not his name) came on board to 
see a sick friend, and, seeing me look so ill, he inquired 
who I was, and came and sat down beside me, and he 
did not leave me till he had " poured in the oil and wine 
into my wounds," and till he had carried me, in spirit, 
to my Father's house — had shown me the precious 



342 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

" balm" there, and left me in charge of the " Great Phy- 
sician." Oh, for more of that Christian love to go about; 
doing good. May he always be comforted in his hours 
of tribulation by the " Great Comforter." 

The Gambia. — We are lying in the Gambia river, 
off the little town of Bathurst. We anchored here yes- 
terday at noon, and are to leave at two o'clock to-day. 
This is a very hot place — low and sandy ; between the 
streets of the town the loose sand is up to the ancles. 
The houses here are not so defaced as elsewhere, but there 
are very few trees. Altogether, it appears to me, it is 
the most uninviting place I have seen on the coast. The 
natives are Mahometans — much more civilized than else- 
where. They are tall, well-made men, and their loose, 
flowing robes and Turkish caps, mostly white, give them 
a graceful and even majestic appearance. They remind 
you of the Moors in their palmiest days. The women's 
clothing is of every color of the rainbow. Here, at the 
Gambia, is a species of monkey called the dog monkey. 
It is about two feet high. Its nose very much resembles 
that of a dog, and it barks just like one. They are very 
savage— if a man, when out alone, should fire at one of 
these monkeys, he would never escape alive, as they 
always go in troops, and if one is injured they all im- 
mediately try to revenge him, and one man alone has no 
chance with them — they will bite him to death. 

Mr. Ward, the American gentleman on board, has been 
very kind to me. He has brought me some tamarinds 
and oranges from shore — they are very grateful in fever. 
He came on shore and up to the Asylum at Cape 



E VERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 343 

Palmas, and went on board the steamer in the same "boat 
with 1113. Ho has told me since, that he did not think 
it possible I could live to reach the vessel. He has been 
travelling for five years. He is excellent company, quiet, 
gentlemanly, and full of information. He was speaking 
to me of the natives farther down the coast, where he has 
been. At Fernando Po, he says, they are the most de- 
based and degraded set of beings he ever saw, and not 
even social in their habits. They do not congregate in 
towns, but they place their huts in the woods far apart 
from each other, and, unlike the rest of the people on the 
coast, they are not polygamists. 

The Juju. — On a small island, near the mouth of the 
Niger, the people have some strange customs. Thev 
have a large town of about three thousand inhabit- 
ants ; their huts are built within mud walls, with the 
streets crossing each other at right angles. At every 
corner there is a creature stuck up, like our scarecrows 
in America, with a gourd for a head, and dressed up w r ith 
cloths, shells, beads, &c. This thing is called Juju, and 
whatever is devoted to it is alsojifju (sacred.) Thus the 
little animal called the Iguana, a species of lizard, 
which elsewhere is eaten, here is allowed to increase and 
run ail over the island. At one enl of the town there 
is a temple dedicated to the Juju. It is higher than 
most of the other houses, with an arched doorway, the 
sides and arch of which are formed of human skulls 
Inside the hut, at one end, is a sort of sacred altar, like 
the Roman Catholic altar, that, with an arched recess 
behind, is formed of children's skulls, the east side and 



344 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

floor being the skulls of adults. In the eye sockets of 
each a square piece of board is inserted, first painted red, 
and then an eye painted on it. Outside the door is 
a post to which prisoners are tied, and beaten to death 
with clubs, and then their skulls, after being dried and 
bleached, are used for replacing any that may have be- 
come cracked or otherwise injured. There are three 
priests whose business is to put prisoners to death, to 
take care of the temple, and attend to the dressing of 
the Jujus. It is also their business to look out for and 
seize anything persons may possess that is juju. For 
instance, any piece of cotton cloth with a distinct pat- 
tern, such as a leaf or flower, is juju. Any bottle with 
a label on it is juju, though the same bottle without the 
label is not so. The priests seize all such things, and 
stow them away in chests for the Juju^ use — dressing 
them and such like. 

Cruelties. — On other portions of the coast, their 
customs are more cruel about witchcraft than among 
the Grreboes. Any one, once accused of witchcraft, is 
burnt most cruelly. In some places a slow fire is made, 
and four posts sunk in the ground, at certain distances, 
the person tied hands and feet to these posts, and sus- 
pended over the fire, thus being slowly burnt ; some- 
times they are left to die there ; at other times they are 
taken down before death, cast into the bush, and left to 
perish miserably. No one must pity a witch. Some- 
times they torture them a different fashion : they are 
fastened down so that they cannot move, and then red 
hot coals are placed in different parts upon the body, and 
left to eat in. But such details are sickening. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA 345 

Drunkenness. — We had quite an excitement last night. 
Our army doctor has been intoxicated all the time, since 
the first day I came on hoard ; sometimes he becomes 
very uproarious. The captain has tried to stop his drink, 
but without effect, for if he is not allowed to have a 
bottle of his own, he will take that belonging to others. 
On Sunday, he had delirium tremens, and they locked 
him in his state-room, with a man to watch him. 
He was tolerably quiet ; but last evening he was dread- 
ful ; his room is very near the one which I occupy, and 
all the evening he was shouting and hallooing for 
brandy, which they would not give him ; at length they 
forced him into his state-room, and set two men to 
watch him. The captain and the naval surgeon had been 
on shore*' all the evening, and had only been onboard ten 
minutes, when loud cries came from the doctor's state- 
room, " I am murdered, I am murdered, my throat is 
cut." The men who were with him were very much 
frightened, and called for assistance. He would not stay 
in his berth ; and though they had been watching him 
closely, yet, with a madman's cunning, he had contrived 
to pull off his belt, and with the buckle dash to pieces 
the looking-glass ; he instantly seized a large jagged 
piece of this, and cut his throat. He had severed an 
artery, and if the other surgeon had not been on board, 
he must have bled to death in a few minutes. As it 
was, they said it seemed almost impossible that any man 
could live, after losing so much blood ; and yet, during 
the w^hole of the rest of the night, he was raving fear- 
fully, at times shouting so loud as to be heard all over 
the ship. He is a little quieter to-day, but has to be 

* At Bathurst on the Gambia. 



346 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

constantly watched. It is a terrible wound he has given 
himself, this cut with a jagged piece of glass. Compare 
that man with the poor heathen we have left, and which 
is the most degraded ? In looking round this saloon, one 
would no longer wonder at the difficulty the missionary of 
the Cross finds in persuading the poor heathen to embrace 
Christianity, when these, and such as these, are what he 
hears called Christians. And these here are not what 
would be called the low, common people, but such as 
call themselves, and w r ould be entitled, gentlemen. In 
all my life I have never heard so much profanity, as 1 
have these few days on board. It makes me shudder to 
hear them talk ; may Grod give them " better minds." 
The day I first came on board, the doctor was somewhat 
sober, and he came to me in a very gentlemanly man- 
ner, prescribing for me, and promising faithfully to at- 
tend me. (He has not been in a condition to speak to 
me since that day.) Then he sat down and talked with 
me ; and my being so ill, I suppose, made him introduce 
the subject of death, and religion. He sat talking with 
me for an hour or more, deploring his dreadful habits, his 
sinfulness, and wishing, apparently sincerely, that he 
could break away from them, could become better, could 
be a Christian ; he had evidently been rightly brought 
up, and knew his duty. At the same time, he declared 
he knew it was impossible for one so vile as he, to break 
away from his sins, or to receive pardon. I talked very 
seriously to him, pointing him to the Saviour of sinners ; 
the blood of the Atonement shed even for him ; I spoke 
very earnestly, I know, for I felt so. "When himself, he 
was a fine, gentlemanly, young man, only about eight- 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 347 

and-twenty, having left a young wife at home in Eng- 
land, to whom he was now going. I felt great pity for 
him. I afterward thought, I dare say he went away 
and ridiculed all I had been saying to him ; but at any 
rate, I felt that I had done right to try, and point him to 
the Saviour. Last night, after he had cut his throat, he 
was raving, poor creature, for them to " go and fetch the 
missionary lady, that she might come and pray with 
him, and tell him of Jesus." They could scarcely 
pacify him without doing it. Ah ! man may forget God 
for years, but there will come a time when he will wish 
he had in him a friend, when no earthly arm can aid 
him. May this be a lesson to the poor doctor, he will 
never forget. I saw in a book, the other day, the motto 
of some German Missionary Society. I wish. to make 
it mine. It had the device of a bullock, standing be- 
tween a plough and an altar, with these words, " Ready 
for either." Either for work or death, as the master saw 
fit. And yet, if he chooses that it should be neither, 
but appoints unto us " waiting work," that is the hardest 
of all, yet we must pray for submission, and to do even 
that cheerfully. 

Teneriffe. — Early yesterday morning we came with- 
in sight of the Peak of Teneriffe. I did not see it then, 
however. About six o'clock in the evening, we anchored 
oft' the town or city, in the bay. As we approached the 
island, the scenery was very beautiful. The Canaries 
on either side of us, rising like giant mountains out of 
the sea ; these, with those of Teneriffe, appearing in many 
places far above the clouds. The Peak, itself, had only 



348 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

been visible for a few minutes in the morning, after that, 
the clouds completely hid it from sight. As you ap- 
proach Teneriffe, it looks like a long, irregular, chain of 
mountains ; a lower range rising within the higher ; 
and again, a third within that. There did not appear 
to be many trees, but the whole of the mountains, as far 
as we could see, from the water's edge to the top of the 
cones, were all terraced. We were quite a distance from 
the shore till we came near the town, running along hori- 
zontally with the island, but still we were near enough 
to discern this ; as, also, the numberless pretty little 
villages scattered along the sides, and in the valleys, and 
slopes of the mountains, from the very shore up to the 
highest points. The houses are all either built of white 
stone, or painted white, which makes them everywhere 
distinctly visible, against their green back-ground. The 
town is beautifully situated ; it is near the northern end 
of the island, where the shore takes a curve, forming a 
pretty little bay. In the back-ground rises the lofty 
Peak, its summit lost in the clouds ; while to the north 
of the town, are innumerable sugar-loaf cones coming 
close to the water's edge, and rising, some higher, some 
lower ; the lowest elevated some eight or nine hundred feet 
above the sea ; and the valleys or depressions between 
the cones, sinking to the level of the town, all of them 
covered with terraces. The town, itself, is built on a 
wide, extended plain, which seems made for the pur- 
pose ; and the houses being all white, it has a very pretty, 
clean appearance from a distance. There are no trees in 
the town, and being built so on a level, it was impossible 
to observe how the houses were constructed, though 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 349 

here and there we could see the handsome dome of a 
cathedral, rising above the surrounding buildings. The 
sound of the convent bells, echoed back by the hills, 
was exquisite melody. I should have liked to see 
more of the place, bat it was impossible, even had I felt 
strong enough to go on shore. Some of our passengers 
will long have occasion to remember Teneriffe. It seems 
at the time we left Sierra Leone, the small-pox was very 
prevalent among the natives in that vicinity. When we 
were in the Gambia, we heard that this report had 
reached Teneriffe, and, consequently, all vessels coming 
from there were put into quarantine ; we, however, were 
hoping that this. was not so. When we arrived at Ten- 
eriffe, the health officer who came alongside, said that 
no one could go on shore, without first going to the Laza- 
retto (the very name has horrors connected with it), 
which is the same as our quarantine hospital, for fifteen 
days. It was in vain for the captain to assure him we 
had no such sickness on board ; he would not come and 
examine for himself; and a letter the captain wanted to 
send to the Governor, was received at the end of long 
sticks, and deposited at the bottom of the boat. Well, 
after a great deal of trouble, and the boat going back 
and forth many times, it was at length agreed by the 
Governor, that the passengers who wanted to land there, 
might be let off with five days in the Lazaretto. How 
sorry I felt for them. There were Mr. and Mrs. Burton, 
teachers in the Baptist mission school in Sherbro Island, 
come to Teneriffe, to remain there for a month, to regain 
their health, and then to return to their work. Mr. AVard, 
the American, who wished so much to ascend the Peak, 



350 



INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 



and yet had to leave for Havana in fifteen days. A 
little Frenchman, and the three Spaniards, one of whom 
has been very ill, and is only just getting about again. 
All these, with their luggage, had to be put into the little 
boat at midnight, and taken off to the Lazaretto. This 
is a large building situated far off, at one end of the 
town, close to the water's edge. The exactions there 
are exorbitant, and the regulations dreadful. It is a 
filthy hole, with only one room, which, when there are 
females there, is separated by a curtain. Here they 
have all to eat, drink, and sleep. The only article of 
furniture provided, is an iron bedstead for each person ; if 
they wish to enjoy the luxury of bed, pillows, blankets, 
&c, each article has to be separately paid for. Each 
person has to pay two dollars a day for food, whatever 
the keepers may choose to provide ; and in this case, the 
boatmen who row them ashore, are to be shut up with 
them for fear of contagion, and the passengers have not 
only to pay their expenses at the Lazaretto, but also the 
five days 5 hire of each boatman. Pretty expensive trav- 
elling. It is a shameful imposition, but they cannot 
help themselves. I feel very sorry for them. The 
Spaniards are raving about it, though it is their own 
government. 

"We left Teneriffe at one o'clock at night. The next 
morning we had an excellent view of the Peak ; we must 
have been full sixty miles off, but there it was, tower- 
ing far above the clouds, covered w r ith snow, some dis- 
tance down from the summit, glistening in the sun, the 
clouds appearing more than half way down its sides. 
The Captain is somewhat apprehensive of the same quar- 
antine at Madeira. 



EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 351 

Madeira. — We arrived at Madeira about ten o'clock in 
the morning. All the passengers had been for hours on 
deck to view the scenery, which is grand, and to breathe 
the balmy fragrance of the air. The island consists of 
a high mountain chain, terraced, and like Teneriffe, 
sprinkled from base to summit with pretty villages. The 
houses being ail white, show well from a distance. When 
the ship anchored we all watched anxiously to see if we 
should be quarantined, but not a word of the kind was 
mentioned. We were much amused for some time watch- 
ing a singular proceeding. The boys and men here are 
expert swimmers and divers; as soon as a vessel anchors a 
little boat, pulled by two boys about twelve years of age, 
comes along side ;• one of the boys manages the boat, 
the other dives over the side of it for small coin which is 
thrown into the water by the passengers on the vessel. 
They are most expert, no matter how small the coin, 
they never fail to get it, and they will come up holding 
it above water to show you they have succeeded. Once 
or twice I was quite frightened at the length of time 
they would be under the water. 

I sat watching the boats, hoping to see the Bishop 
come on board, when a strange gentleman came up and 
addressed me. He told me he was the host of the house 
where the Bishop was staying ; he came on board to 
secure a stateroom for him and Mrs. Payne, and he had 
requested him to inquire if I was on board, as when he 
left Africa he feared I should be obliged soon to follow. 
He requested the gentleman, if I should be on board, 
and be at all able, to bring me on shore. Though very 
weak, I determined to venture to go on shore. The 



352 INCIDENTS AND SCENES OF 

beach, for some distance up, is formed of loose cobble- 
stones, very bad for the feet. The streets are not much 
better. They are very narrow, no side- walks, and they 
are all paved with cobble-stones set edgewise, which 
hurt the feet badly, but then they have the advantage 
of keeping the feet dry, as the water runs down between 
them. Their conveyances are very easy carriages set 
upon runners, drawn by two bullocks. It was quite a 
matter of wonder to me how easily and quickly th«se 
vehicles glide along over the stones, with four passengers 
inside. Invalids go out in hammocks^ but to those who 
are well enough, horseback riding is far the pleasantest. 
The horses are as sure-footed as mules, and are well 
trained for travelling through the gorges and ravines of 
the mountains, where a pedestrian would scarcely dare 
to trust himself. The owner of the horse always goes 
with him, hanging on to his tail, and in this way he will 
keep up with him for a whole day. The scenery is very 
wild and grand. There is a Romish Church called the 
Mountain church, at the very summit of the mountain. 
It is an almost perpendicular road up to it, through one 
of the gorges. You are carried up in a hammock, but 
come down in a sort of basket-sled, a boy standing on it 
behind, to guide you. The Bishop says he came down 
in that, a distance of a mile and three quarters, in nine 
minutes, After it is once started it comes down by its 
own weight. The houses I cannot describe ; they were 
of all sorts, shapes, and sizes, with sometimes a tower 
jutting out here and an angle there. The house of Mr. s 
Mills, where the Bishop has been boarding, is a fine, 
handsome one, in the English style. The view from 
the top of this house is fine beyond description. 









EVERY-DAY LIFE IN AFRICA. 353 

Here I met ray dearly loved and kind friends, who 
were sorry yet glad to see me, and with them again that 
night set sail. Under their kind care and protection I 
safely reached my friends in England, with the fervent 
hope and prayer that if it please our Heavenly Father to 
restore my health, I may again go forth to labor for 
Africa, hut if not permitted to do that, wherever I may 
be I hope to labor for her. 

Reader, have I roused one feeling of interest, one hope, 
one prayer, for Africa's redemption, one desire to devote 
a little time, a little means, for her and her children's 
good ? If so, my aim is accomplished : and let me once 
more press upon you the duty of earnest prayer for her, 
her children, and her teachers, then soon will she " Arise 
and shine." 



THE END 






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